UNIVERSITY  o*  CALIFORNIA 

AT 

LOS  ANGELES 
LIBRARY 


THE  :,Y  OF  EASTERN 

FLORIDA. 


BY  E.  H.  SELLARDS  GQNTER. 


From  the  Fifth   Annual   Report  of  the  Florida  ^urvey. 

pp.   IM 


THE  ARTESIAN  WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND 
SOUTHERN  FLORIDA. 


BY  E.  H.  SELLARDS  AND  HERMAN  GUNTER. 


116450 


CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

Introduction     113 

The  area  treated    114 

Geology    . . .' H4 

Oligocene     114 

Vicksburg   group    114 

Apalachicola  group    117 

Miocene    118 

Pliocene    119 

Pleistocene    119 

Earth  movements  during  the  Pleistocene 120 

Topography  and  Drainage 121 

\            Elevations    ik51 

S         '  Rivers    122 

*        Climate     123 

Temperature     ."X 123 

Precipitation    125 

Soils 127 

General  discussion  of  underground  waters 129 

Source    129 

Annual  rainfall   130 

Disposition  of  rainfall 130 

Amount  available  for  the  underground  supply 133 

Underground  circulation  of  water 133 

Cause   of  movement 133 

Rate  of  movement 133 

Depth  of  underground  water 134 

Hydrogen  sulphide  in  underground  water 135 

Sulphur  water  not  evidence  of  beds  of  sulphur 137 

Sulphur    deposits    formed    from    hydrogen    sulphide  138 

Absence  of  hydrogen  sulphide  from  certain  waters  in  Florida 138 

Amount  of  hydrogen  sulphide  influenced  by  preessure  139 

Artesian  water    139 

Artesian  water  defined  140 

Conditions  necessary  to  obtain  artesian  water 140 

Artesian    basin _. 141 

Artesian  slope  142 

Artesian  water   from   unconfined  horizontal  beds  143 

Artesian  water  from  solution  passages 143 

Source  of  artesian  water  in  Florida .  144 


106  CONTENTS. 

PACK. 

^rmations  supplying  artesian  water 144- 

^^uepth  of  artesian  water 145 

Cost  of  wells    145 

Increased  flow  with  increased  depth 146 

Increased  head  with  increased  depth 146 

Increased  temperature  with  increased  depth 147 

Loss  of  head  and  reduction  in  flow 149 

Table  showing  loss  of  flow  of  artesian  wells 149 

Cause  of  the  loss  of  flow 151 

Waste  of  artesian  water 152 

Method  of  measuring  flow  of  artesian  wells 152 

Tables  for  determining  yield  of  artesian  wells 155 

Area  of  artesian  flow  in  Florida 157 

Discussion  by  counties 162 

Nassau  County 162 

Location  and  surface  features 162 

Water-bearing  formations   162 

Area  of  artesian  flow 164 

Local   details    165 

Callahan  165 

Crandall    167 

Evergreen    167 

Fernandina 167 

Milliard  170 

Italia ivi 

King's  Ferry    171 

Lessie    172 

Lofton   172 

Duval   County    172 

Location  and  surface  features 172 

Water-bearing  formations   174 

Area  of  artesian  flow 175 

Local  details 176 

Baldwin    176 

Bayard    176 

Jacksonville    176 

Mandarin  ISO 

Manhattan  Beach 181 

Maxville 182 

Mayport    182 

St.  Johns  County 183 

Location  and  surface  features 183 

Water-bearing  formations   184 

Area  of  artesian  flow .  185 


CONTENTS.  107 

PAGE. 

Local  details  185 

Anastasia  Island  185 

Armstrong   187 

Bunnell    187 

Dinner  Island 187 

Elkton 187 

Espanola   188 

Federal   Point    188 

Hastings 189 

Holy  Branch    190 

Hurds 191 

Moultrie  191 

Picolata  192 

Riverdale     192 

Roy    193 

St.  Augustine  193 

Switzerland 196 

Yelvington 196 

Clay  County  197 

Location  and  surface  features 197 

Water-bearing  formations   198 

Area  of  artesian  flow 200 

Local   details    200 

Doctors  Inlet  200 

Green  Cove  Springs 200 

Hibernia    202 

Leno 202 

Magnolia  Springs 203 

Middleburg   203 

Peoria  205 

Russell    205 

Walkill  205 

West  Tocoi  205 

Williams  Crossing   205 

Putnam  County  206 

Location  and  surface  features 206 

Water-bearing  formations   206 

Area  of  artesian  flow 207 

Local  details  207 

Bostwick 207 

Crescent  City  207 

Orange  Mills 208 

Palatka    ,  ,' 209 

Penial   . .  .   21 1 


108  CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

Rice  Creek 211 

Rodman   211 

San   Mateo   212 

Satsuma  212 

Welaka    212 

Woodburn  '. 213 

Orange  County 214 

Location  and  surface  features 214 

Water-bearing  formations   215 

Area  of  artesian  flow 215 

Local  details  215 

Chuluota   215 

Geneva   21& 

Orlando 217 

Oviedo 217 

Sanford 218. 

Volusia  County 221 

Location  and  surface  features 221 

Water-bearing  formations   222. 

Area  of  artesian  flow 222. 

Local  details  222 

Daytona 222 

DeLand  225 

Enterprise 226- 

Lake  Helen 228 

New  Smyrna 228 

Oak  Hill 229 

Orange  City 230 

Ormond   231 

Pierson     232" 

Seville    23£ 

Brevard  County    23£ 

Location  and  surface  features 232- 

Water-bearing  formations  233 

Area  of  artesian  flow 233 

Local  details 233 

Chester  Shoals    -<i33 

City   Point    234 

Cocoa    235 

Eau  Gallic 236 

Frontenac    237 

Grant    237 

Malabar    23T  , 

Melbourne    . .  23T 


CONTENTS.  109 

PAGE. 

Merritts  Island   240 

Micco     241 

Rockledge   241 

Sharpes    *42 

Tillman    243 

Titusville 243 

Valkaria   245 

St.  Lucie  County  245 

Location  and  surface  features .' 245 

Water-bearing  formations  245 

Area  of  artesian  flow 245 

Local  details    246 

Eden   246 

Ft.  Pierce   246 

Narrows    248 

Orchid    248 

Roseland    248 

Sebastian   249 

Pinellas    County    250 

Location  and  surface  features 250 

Water  bearing  formations 250 

Area  of  artesian  flow 250 

Local  details   250 

Clearwater    250 

Dunedin  251 

Espiritu  Santo  Springs 251 

Largo    252 

Ozona   252 

Pass-a-Grille    252 

Pinellas  Park 253 

St.  Petersburg  253 

Seminole    257 

Sutherland    257 

Tarpon  Springs  ' 257 

Wall  Springs   257 

Hillsboro  County   258 

Location  and  surface  features 258 

Water-bearing  formations 258 

Area  of  artesian  flow 258 

Local   details    259 

Plant    City    259 

Tampa 26o 

Polk  County   262 

Location  and  surface  features . .  262 


110  CONTENTS. 

PAGE. 

Water-bearing  formations   263 

Local   details 363 

Bartow   263 

Carters   263 

Lakeland    264 

Mulberry    264 

Osceola  County 264 

Location  and  surface  features 264 

Water-bearing  formations   264 

Area  of  artesian  flow 266 

Local   details    266 

Kissimmee    266 

Narcoossee  266 

Manatee  County  267 

Location  and  surface  features 267 

Water-bearing  formations  268 

Area  of  artesian  flow 268 

Local  details    268 

Bradentown   268 

Manatee  268 

Palmetto   269 

Sarasota 269 

DeSoto  County 269 

Location  and  surface  features 269 

Water-bearing  formations   270 

Area  of  artesian  flow ." 270 

Local   details    271 

Arcadia    271 

Ft.  Odgen   271 

Nocatee    271 

Punta  Gorda  272 

Palm   Beach   County 272 

Location  and  surface  features 272 

Water-bearing  formations   272 

Area  of  artesian  flow 273 

Local  details    273 

Gomez   373 

Kobe  Sound   273 

Palm  Beach    273 

West  Jupiter    ..77 

Yamato   277 

Lee  County  27S . 

Location  and  surface  features 373 

Water-bearing  formations  . .  278 


CONTENTS.  Ill 

PAGE. 

Area  of  artesian  flow 279 

Local   details    279 

Boca  Grande 279 

Ft.  Myers 279 

Labelle 280 

Bade  County   281 

Location  and  surface  features 281 

Water-bearing  formations  281 

Area  of  artesian  flow 281 

Local  details  281 

Dania    281 

Homestead  283 

Miami  285 

Monroe  County 286 

Location  and  surface  features 286 

Water-bearing  formations  286 

Area  of  artesian  flow 287 

Local  details  287 

Key  Vaca    287 

Key  West   . .  288 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


FIGURES. 

Fig.   1.    Artesian  basin. 

Fig.   2.    Artesian  slope. 

Fig.    3.     Artesian  water  from  unconfined  horizontal  beds. 

Fig.    4.    Artesian  water  from  solution  passages  in  limestone. 

Fig.    5.     Method  of  measuring  flow  of  artesian  well. 

Fig.    6.     Map  showing  area  of  artesian  flow  in  Nassau  and  Duval  Counties. 

Fig.    7.     Map  showing  the  area  of  artesian  flow  in  St.  Johns  County. 

Fig.    8.     Map   showing   the  areas  of  artesian  flow   in  Clay  and   Putnam 

Counties. 
Fig.    9.     Map  showing  the  area  of  artesian  flow  in  Orange  and  Seminole 

Counties. 

Fig.  10.     Flowing  artesian  well. 

Fig.  11.     Map  showing  the  area  of  artesian  flow  in  Volusia  County. 
Fig.  13.     Map  showing  the  area  of  artesian  flow  in  Pinellas  and  Hillsboro 

Counties. 

Fig.  14.     Map  showing  the  area  of  artesian  flow  in  Polk  County. 
Fig.  15.     Map  showing  the  area  of  artesian  flow  in  Osceola  County. 
Fig.  16.     Map  showing  the  area  of  artesian  flow  in  Manatee  County. 
Fig.  17.     Map  showing  the  area  of  artesian  flow  in  DeSoto  County. 

PLATES. 
No. 

10.  Fig.  1.     Palmetto  flatwoods,  Amelia  Island. 
Fig.  2.     Palmetto  flatwoods,  Ft.  Myers. 

11.  Fig.  1.     Scrub,  east  side  of  Lake  Kingsley,  Clay  County. 
Fig.  2.     Sandy  pineland,  DeLeon  Springs. 

Fig.  3.    Open  flatwoods,  three  miles  east  of  DeLeon  Springs. 

12.  Fig.  1.    Everglades  west  of  Ft.  Lauderdale. 

Fig.  2.     Small  prairie,  four  miles  west  of  Sebastian. 
Fig.  3.     Turnbull  Hammock,  one  mile  west  of  Daytona. 

13.  Fig.  1.     Sand  dune  near  Mayport. 

Fig.  2.    Ancient  sand  dune,  two  miles  west  of  Daytona. 
Fig.  3.     Exposure  at  Saw  Pit  landing,  St.  Marys  River. 

14.  Fig.  1.    Exposure  of  hardpan  at  Black  Bluff  on  Clark's  Creek,  eight 

miles  from  Fernandina. 
Fig.   2.    Artesian  well  used  for  power,  Melbourne,  in  Brevard  County. 


THE  ARTESIAN  WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND 
SOUTHERN  FLORIDA 


E.  H.  SELLARDS  AND  HERMAN  GUNTER. 


INTRODUCTION. 

A  study  of  the  water  supply  of  Florida  was  begun  in  1907 
as  co-operative  work  between  the  Florida  State  Geological  Sur- 
vey and  the  National  Geological  Survey.  The  first  paper  was 
issued  in  1908  as  Bulletin  No.  1  of  the  Florida  State  Geological 
Survey,  and  relates  to  the  underground  water  of  Central  Florida. 
The  second  paper  of  the  series  was  published  by  the  State  Sur- 
vey in  1910  and  related  to  the  water  supply  of  the  counties  of 
Eastern  Florida.  A  third  paper  included  in  the  Fourth  Annual 
Report,  1912,  extended  the  study  of  the  water  .supply  to  the 
counties  of  West  Central  and  West  Florida.  The  present  paper 
includes  a  reprint  of  the  paper  on  the  water  supply  of  Eastern 
Florida,  published  in  1910,  revised  to  include  a  report  on  the 
water  supply  of  Southern  Florida. 

The  writers  are  indebted  to  the  many  well  drillers  and  well 
owners  who  have  contributed  data  regarding  wells.  Among  the 
many  who  have  given  assistance  the  following  should  be  especially 
mentioned:  Messrs.  Bellough  &  Melton,  J.  M.  Chambers,  C.  I. 
Cragin,  Dr.  E.  S.  Grill,  Capt.  R.  N.  Ellis,  Hughes  Specialty  Well 
Drilling  Co.,  W.  E.  Holmes,  John  McAllister,  Dr.  J.  N.  Mac- 
Gonigle,  McGuire  &  McDonald,  W.  J.  Nesbitt,  Hugh  Partridge, 
H.  Walker,  Dr.  DeWitt  Webb,  J.  W.  Wiggins,  H.  Van  Dorn, 
W.  D.  Holcomb,  G.  A.  Miller,  and  Mr.  Holmes  of  the  water 
supply  department  of  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway,  J.  C.  Dan- 
ielson,  T.  J.  Zimmerman,  F-.  S.  Gilbert,  W.  F.  Hamilton,  Dibble 
and  Earnest,  The  Artesian  Well  Co.,  D.  W.  Brown,  F.  J.  White 
&  Co.,  Sydner  Pump  and  Well  Co.,  E.  J.  Pettigrew,  J.  O.  Edson, 
F.  B.  Bradley,  and  C.  E.  Reid. 


114  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Extensive  well  records  made  in  1907-1908  in  cooperation  with 
the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  by  Messrs.  Geo.  C.  Matson  and  F.  G. 
Clapp  have  been  utilized  in  the  preparation  of  this  report.  Data 
regarding  climate  and  rainfall  have  been  supplied  by  Hon.  A.  J. 
Mitchell,  Director  of  the  Florida  section  of  the  U.  S.  Weather 
Bureau. 

Many  of  the  analyses  included  have  been  made  in  the  office  of 
the  State  Chemist  especially  for  this  report.  Others  have  been 
made  at  various  times  by  other  chemists.  Credit  is  given  with 
each  analysis. 

THE  AREA  TREATED. 

The  area  considered  in  detail  in  this  report  includes  the  fol- 
lowing counties:  Brevard,  Clay,  Dade,  DeSoto,  Duval,  Hills- 
boro,  Lee,  Manatee,  Monroe,  Nassau,  Orange,  Osceola,  Palm 
Beach,  Pinellas,  Polk,  Putnam,  St.  Johns,  St.  Lucie,  Seminole, 
Broward,  and  Volusia.  This  section  borders  the  Atlantic  and 
Gulf  coasts  and  comprises  the  principal  artesian  areas  of  Penin- 
sular Florida. 

GEOLOGY. 

A  knowledge  of  the  geologic  structure  is  essential  to  a  clear 
understanding  of  the  underground  water  conditions.  The  pre- 
vailingly level  country  of  Florida  renders  geologic  observations 
difficult.  Some  favorable  exposures  occur,  however,  and  these 
together  with  data  obtained  from  well  samples  and  well  records 
permit  a  reasonably  full  understanding  of  the  structure  of  the 
State. 

The  formations  found  in  Florida  belong  to  the :  Oligocene, 
Miocene,  Pliocene,  and  Pleistocene.  Of  these  divisions  the  Olig- 
ocene is  the  oldest ;  the  Pleistocene  the  most  recent. 

OLIGOCENE. 
VICKSBURG  GROUP. 

The  oldest  or  deepest  formations  reached  in  well  drilling  in 
Peninsular  Florida  are  the  Vicksburg  limestones.  The  Vicksburg 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        115 

is  an  extensive  deposit  underlying  all  of  Florida  and  extending 
into  adjacent  States.  In  Central  Peninsular  Florida,  from  Colum- 
bia to  Sumter  Counties,  these  limestones  are  frequently  exposed 
at  the  surface.  Passing  to  the  east  and  south  from  Central 
Florida  they  dip  beneath  the  surface,  and  while  nowhere  exposed 
at  the  surface  they  are  reached  by  all  the  deeper  wells.  It  is  in 
fact  from  these  limestones  that  the  principal  water  supply  of 
Eastern  and  Southern  Florida  is  obtained.  The  Vicksburg  is  very 
characteristic  in  appearance  and  structure,  and  when  once  seen 
is  not  likely  to  be  mistaken  for  any  other  formation  in  this  part 
of  the  State.  The  limestone  as  seen  in  well  samples  has  a  granu- 
lar appearance  and  may  contain  many  small  shells.  This  phase 
of  the  limestone  is  frequently  spoken  of  by  the  drillers  as  the 
"coral"  formation.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  however,  the  formation 
contains  relatively  few  corals.  After  passing  one  or  two  hundred 
feet  into  this  formation  a  more  compact  limestone  is  encountered. 
This  part  of  the  formation  often  has  a  slightly  pinkish  cast,  the 
rock  being  very  hard,  and  the  drilling  difficult.  While  these  are 
the  general  characteristics  of  the  Vicksburg,  yet  its  texture  is  not 
uniform.  Hard  layers  usually  alternate  with  soft  layers,  the 
water  supply  as  a  rule  increasing  as  each  hard  layer  is  penetrated. 
Not  infrequently  masses  of  flint  are  found  imbedded  in  the  lime- 
stone which  in  some  instances  have  given  much  difficulty  in 
drilling. 

While,  as  already  stated,  the  Vicksburg  limestones  dip  on 
passing  to  the  east  and  south,  yet  the  dip  is  not  uniform  and  the 
depth  at  which  it  is  encountered  varies  from  place  to  place. 

In  the  wells  at  Jacksonville  the  Vicksburg  is  reached  at  a 
depth  of  from  500  to  525  feet.  At  Callahan  and  at  Fernandina, 
in  Nassau  County,  although  no  samples  have  been  obtained,  the 
Vicksburg  is  believed,  from  well  records,  to  be  reached  at  about 
the  same  depth  as  at  Jacksonville. 

Along  the  St.  Johns  River  the  Vicksburg  maintains  a  similar 
depth  for  some  distance.  At  Ortega,  seven  miles  south  of  Jack- 
sonville, the  limestone  was  reached  at  a  depth  of  about  500  feet. 
At  Magnolia  Springs,  and  Green  Cove  Springs,  thirty  miles  south 
of  Jacksonville,  and  on  Black  Creek,  while  no  well  samples  were 


116  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

obtained,  the  Vicksburg  is  believed  from  well  records  to  occur 
at  a  depth  of  from  325  to  400  feet. 

Passing  to  the  south  the  Vicksburg  lies  nearer  the  surface. 
Samples  of  drillings  from  wells  at  St.  Augustine  and  at  Hastings 
in  St.  Johns  County  and  at  Orange  Mills  in  Putnam  County  show 
that  the  Vicksburg  in  this  section  lies  at  a  depth  of  130  to  225 
feet,  the  greater  depth  being  at  St.  Augustine  and  the  minimum 
depth  at  Orange  Mills.  Passing  to  the  south  the  Vicksburg  lies, 
so  far  as  well  records  indicate,  at  a  fairly  uniform  level  for  a  dis- 
tance of  150  miles.  At  Sanford,  75  miles  south  of  Orange  Mills, 
the  Vicksburg  is  reached  at  a  depth  of  from  113  to  125  feet. 
At  Daytona,  although  samples  are  lacking,  the  depth  of  this  form- 
ation is  believed,  judging  from  well  records,  not  to  exceed  150 
feet.  At  Cocoa  the  Vicksburg  is  reached  at  a  depth  not  exceed- 
ing 190  feet,  while  at  Melbourne  Beach,  150  miles  south  of  St. 
Augustine,  its  depth  in  one  well  was  found  to  be  221  feet. 

Passing  to  the  south  from  this  point  the  Vicksburg  dips  rap- 
idly. At  Palm  Beach,  100  miles  farther  south,  this  limestone 
was  reached  at  a  depth  of  approximately  1,000  feet,  *a  dip  of 
about  750  feet  in  100  miles  or  7^  feet  per  mile.  The  Vicksburg 
was  not  reached  in  a  well  700  feet  deep  drilled  by  the  Florida  - 
East  Coast  Railway  Company  at  Marathon  Key,  175  miles  south 
of  Palm  Beach.f  At  Key  West,  however,  the  formation  is  be- 
lieved to  have  been  reached  at  a  depth  of  700  feet.$ 

It  is  thus  seen  that  the  Vicksburg  forms  a  broad  arch  extend- 
ing from  central  Florida  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  St.  Augustine 
lies  near  the  north  slope  of  this  arch,  while  Melbourne,  as  nearly 
as  can  be  determined,  lies  near  the  south  slope.  On  either  side 
of  the  arch  the  limestone  dips  at  a  moderate  rate.  On  the  north 
side  of  the  arch  the  maximum  depth  recorded  in  Florida  is  500 
feet.  Passing  to  the  south  the  maximum  of  approximately  1,000 
feet  is  recorded  at  Palm  Beach. 

In  view  of  the  importance  of  the  Vicksburg  as  an  artesian 
water  reservoir,  the  depth  at  which  it  is  to  be  expected  is  a  matter 

*Darton,  N.  H. ;  Amer.  Journ.  Sci.  (3)  XLJ,  pp.  105-6,  1891. 
fFlorida  Geol.  Survey.  Second  Annual  Report,  p.  206,  1909. 
JHovey,  E.  O.;  Mus.  Comp.  Zool.  Bull.  XXVIII,  pp.  65-91,  1896. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        117' 

of  very  great  importance  and  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  well  drillers 
will  find  it  possible  to  keep  accurately  labeled  well  samples  in 
order  to  determine  more  definitely  the  distribution  of  this  form- 
ation. 

APALACHICOLA  GROUP. 

The  Apalachicola  group  of  formations  is  of  a  much  less  uni- 
form character  than  the  Vicksburg  and  is  also  of  less  importance 
in  connection  with  the  water  supply.  A  full  description  of  this 
group  of  formations  will  be  found  in  the  Second  Annual  Report 
of  this  Survey,  pp.  67-106. 

The  formations  which  make  up  the  Apalachicola  group  in- 
clude the  Chattahoochee  and  Alum  Bluff  formations,  well  exposed 
along  the  Apalachicola  River;  the  Hawthorne  formation  in  Cen- 
tral Florida ;  and  the  Tampa  formation  in  Southern  Florida.  The 
relative  position  of  three  of  these,  the  Chattahoochee,  the  Haw- 
thorne and  the  Tampa  formations,  has  not  been  definitely  deter- 
mined, and  they  may  be  largely  contemporaneous.  The  Alum 
Bluff  formation  lies  above  the  Chattahoochee  formation.  The 
limestone  of  this  group  consists  largely  of  impure  clayey  material 
which  upon  decay  weathers  to  a  sticky  blue  green  clay.  The 
Chattahoochee  Limestone  is  difficult  to  recognize  in  well  samples. 
Fossils  in  this  formation  are  comparatively  rare  and  such  as  occur 
are  largely  destroyed  in  drilling.  In  surface  exposures  it  may 
be  recognized  by  its  lithologic  character  and  by  the  characteristic 
cubical  blocks  into  which  some  of  the  strata  break  upon  exposure. 

The  Apalachicola  group  has  not  been  recognized  from  well 
drillings  in  East  Florida.  Clays  taken  by  Mr.  S.  L.  Hughes  from 
the  new  city  well  at  Jacksonville  at  the  depth  of  320  feet  have 
a  very  close  resemblance  to  the  fuller's  earth  clays  which  occur 
in  the  Apalachicola  group,  above  the  Chattahoochee  Limestone. 
On  the  other  hand,  Matson  obtained  from  Jacksonville  a  Miocene 
shark's  tooth  from  a  well  sample  supposed  to  come  from  the 
depth  of  496  feet.  In  order  to  determine  more  fully  the  area  and 
extent  of  the  Apalachicola  group  of  formations  in  Eastern  Florida 
it  will  be  necessary  to  obtain  large  and  carefully  collected  well 
samples.  In  Southern  Florida  the  Apalachicola  group  is  recog- 


118  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

nized  at  Tampa  and  thence  south  along  the  Gulf  coast  as  far  as 
Sarasota  Bay. 

MIOCENE. 

The  Miocene  deposits  are  well  developed  in  Eastern  Florida. 
At  the  city  water  works  at  Jacksonville  this  formation  was  en- 
countered in  excavating  for  the  basin  for  the  city  water  supply,* 
and  was  also  reached  'in  the  city  wells  at  a  depth  of  from  35  to 
36  feet.  At  Jacksonville  this  formation  has  a  considerable,  al- 
though undetermined  thickness.  It  consists  of  a  buff  limestone 
grading  to  a  lighter  color,  more  or  less  phosphatic,  grading  below 
to  phosphatic  sands  and  sandy  marls.  The  formation  is  in  places 
fossiliferous,  although  the  shells  are  usually  preserved  as  casts. 

In  Clay  County  the  Jacksonville  formation  is  extensively  ex- 
posed along  Black  Creek.  The  exposure  of  this  formation  appears 
along  both  the  South  and  North  Fork  of  Black  Creek,  some  miles 
above  Middleburg,  and  may  be  observed  for  five  or  six  miles 
below  Middleburg.  The  following  section  was  observed  at  High 
Bluff,  on  the  South  Fork  of  Black  Creek,  about  five  miles  above 
Middleburg : 

Covered  and  sloping   5  feet 

Sloping,  some  sticky  clay  exposed 5  feet 

Yellow  sand   8  feet 

Buff  colored  sandy  limestone,  containing  a  small  propor- 
tion of  black  phosphatic  pebbles 12  feet 

Same,  with  greater  amount  of  phosphate 5  feet 

Same,  with  some  phosphate 12  feet 

This  is  the  thickest  exposure  of  the  Jacksonville  formation 
observed  at  any  one  place  along  Black  Creek. 

The  following  section  was  observed  in  the  pit  of  the  Jackson- 
ville Brick  Company,  two  miles  southwest  of  Jacksonville  : 

Incoherent  sand  and  soil 2.4  feet 

Sandy  clays,  the  top  5  or  6  feet  oxidizes  yellow. 16     feet 

Bluish  fossiliferous  marl    4     feet 

The  marl  obtained  from  test  holes  in  the  bottom  of  the  pit  is 


*Dall,  W.  H.,  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.  Bull.  84,  124-125,  1892. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        119 

similar  in  character  to  the  Choctawhatchee  marl  of  West  Florida, 
and  the  clay  used  for  brick  making  in  Duval,  Nassau  and  Putnam 
Counties  is  probably  of  Miocene  age.  Beneath  this  marl,  as 
shown  by  numerous  well  drillings,  the  sandy  limestones  of  the 
Jacksonville  formation  occur. 

Miocene  deposits  in  Florida  were  first  recognized  by  Dr.  E.  A. 
Smith,*  at  Rock  Springs,  in  the  northwestern  part  of  Orange 
County.  The  limestone  exposed  here  is  a  light,  sandy,  fossiliferous 
limestone  and  is  probably  of  the  Jacksonville  formation. 

PLIOCENE. 

Pliocene  is  known  to  occur  in  Eastern  Florida,  although  the 
extent  and  distribution  of  the  deposits  have  been  but  imperfectly 
determined.  The  shell  deposits  of  this  period  occurring  in  the  St. 
Johns  valley  and  along  the  East  Coast  have  been  described  by 
Messrs.  Matson  and  Clapp.f  Localities  mentioned  by  them  are 
Nashua,  on  the  St.  Johns  River,  in  Putnam  County,  and  at  DeLand 
and  near  Daytona,  in  Volusia  County.  Other  localities  at  which 
these  deposits  were  observed  to  be  exposed  are  one-half  mile 
above  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  bridge  over  the  St.  Johns  River,  in 
Putnam  County ;  on  the  east  side  of  the  St.  Johns  River,  about 
five  miles  north  of  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  bridge,  in  Volusia 
County.  Pliocene  beds  were  also  recognized  from  a  well  near 
Kissimmee.  From  the  exposures  thus  recognized  it  is  evident 
that  Pliocene  beds  underlie  a  considerable  area  of  Eastern  Florida. 
In  Southern  Florida  the  Pliocene  is  well  developed  in  the  valley 
of  the  Caloosahatchee  River.  The  land  pebble  phosphate  de- 
posits are  also  believed  to  be  Pliocene. 

PLEISTOCENE. 

The  marine  Pleistocene  deposits  have  been  recognized  at  sev- 
al  localities  in  Eastern  and  Southern  Florida.     Messrs.  Matson 


*Smith,  E.  A.,  On  the  Geology  of  Florida.     Amer.  Journ.  Sic.  3d  Ser. 
Vol    XXI,  pp.  302-303. 

,  :?la.  Geol.  Surv.     Sec.  Ann.  Rpt.,  pp.  128-133,  1909. 


120  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

and  Clapp  obtained  collections  from  Eau  Gallic,  Titusville  and 
Mims  in  Brevard  County.  It  is  probable  that  marine  Pleistocene 
shell  deposits  are  somewhat  widely  distributed  along  the  coast 
and  perhaps  in  the  St.  Johns  River  valley.  Here,  again,  satisfac- 
tory determination  can  be  made  only  from  large  and  carefully 
kept  samples  obtained  in  well  drilling.  The  coquina  rock  which 
occurs  extensively  at  St.  Augustine  and  extends  along  the  coast 
to  the  south  for  250  miles  is  also  to  be  placed  with  the  Pleistocene. 
Some  of  the  older  sand  dunes  of  the  coast  also  probably  belong 
to  the  Pleistocene.  In  southern  Florida  Pleistocene  limestones 
are  extensively  developed  in  Palm  Beach,  Bade  and  Monroe 
Counties,  bordering  and  underlying  the  Everglades  and  on  the 
keys. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  a  sample  of  the  Miami  Lime- 
stone from  near  Miami,  Florida.  Analysis  given  by  John  B. 
Reilly.  Name  of  analyst  not  recorded. 

Silica     6.42 

Alumina  and  iron  oxides    0.94 

Carbonate    of   lime 91.23 

Carbonate  of  magnesium    1.08 


99.67 
EARTH  MOVEMENT  DURING  PLEISTOCENE. 

Changes  in  the  relation  of  land  and  water  have  occurred  re- 
cently along  the  East  Coast,  probably  during  Pleistocene  time. 
The  best  evidence  of  these  changes  is  that  offered  by  the  sand 
dunes  and  the  coquina  rock  bordering  the  East  Coast.  The  line 
of  sand  dunes  along  the  coast  is  well  developed  and  largely  con- 
tinuous. From  Daytona  south  these  dunes  occur,  not  on  the 
present  beach,  but  back  from  'the  beach  a  variable  distance,  de- 
pending upon  the  configuration  of  the  country.  At  Daytona  the 
sand  dune  lies  back  from  the  Halifax  River  about  two  miles. 
From  Daytona  to  Titusville  the  dunes  are  to  be  seen  lying  mostly 
to  the  west  of  the  East  Coast  Railway  at  a  distance  of  one  or  two 
miles  from  the  coast.  At  Titusville  the  dunes  lie  back  from  the 
Indian  River  two  to  two  and  one-half  miles.  At  Rockledge  the 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        121 

dunes  approach  closer  to  the  coast.  They  recede  again,  however, 
to  the  south  and  at  no  place  directly  face  the  ocean.  The  dunes 
are  now  quiescent  and  are  covered  with  a  thick  growth  of  trees, 
indicating  that  they  have  been  undisturbed  for  a  long  time.  In 
the  same  way  the  coquina  rock,  found  facing  the  ocean  at  Anas- 
tasia  Island,  in  St.  Johns  County,  falls  back  from  the  coast  to  the 
south,  extending  at  places  a  few  miles  inland.  The  presence  of 
this  ledge  of  coquina  rock  bordering  the  coast  together  with  the 
sand  dunes  lying  back  clearly  indicates  that  the  land  level  former- 
ly stood  lower  than  at  present,  the  coquina  rock  and  sand  dunes 
having  accumulated  along  what  was  then  the  beach. 

Conrad  as  early  as  1846  noted  the  occurrence  of  marine  shells 
of  post-Pliocene  age  along  the  bank  of  the  St.  Johns  River  at  an 
elevation  of  from  ten  to  fifteen  feet  above  the  present  high  tide. 

Matson  has  described*  what  he  believes  to  be  a  Pleistocene 
terrace  bordering  the  St.  Mary's  River,  in  Nassau  Countv.  A 
similar  abrupt  rise  in  passing  onto  the  upland  may  be  observed 
in  many  places  bordering  the  coast  and  the  valley  of  the  St.  Johns 
River.  It  may  be  observed  that  a  subsidence  of  25  feet  would 
submerge  the  entire  St.  Johns  valley  and  would  allow  the  sand 
dunes  once  more  to  face  the  ocean. 

TOPOGRAPHY  AND  DRAINAGE. 

The  section  of  the  State  to  which  this  report  relates  borders 
the  Atlantic  Ocean  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  From  sea  level  the 
rise  in  elevation  is  as  a  rule  gradual  and  the  country  in  general 
level  or  rolling.  It  is  probable  that  with  the  exception  of  sand 
dunes  all  of  Monroe,  Lee,  Dade,  Palm  Beach,  St.  Lucie  and  Bre- 
vard  Counties  as  well  as  the  eastern  one-half  or  more  of  Nassau, 
Duval,  Clay,  Putnam,  Volusia  and  Orange  Counties  and  the  en- 
tire St.  Johns  River  Valley  lie  below  the  50-foot  contour  line. 
Elevations  exceeding  50  feet  occur  in  the  western  part  of  Nassau, 
Duval,  Clay,  Putnam  and  Orange  Counties  and  as  a  ridge  ex- 
tending from  northwest  to  southeast  through  Volusia  County. 


*Florida  Geol.  Survey,  Second  Annual  Report,  p.  39,  1909. 


122  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

The  maximum  elevation  for  Eastern  Florida  is  found  in  the  north- 
western part  of  Clay  County,  approaching  "Trail  Ridge."  On 
this  ridge  are  found,  according  to  levels  made  in  1911  by  the 
United  States  Geological  Survey,  a  maximum  elevation  of  246 
feet.  In  Polk  County  elevations  approximating  250  feet  are  also 
reported.  (See  map.) 

RIVERS. 

The  St.  Johns  River  rises  from  the  lakes  of  southern  Brevard 
County,  within  a  few  miles  of  the  Atlantic  coast.  From  this  point 
it  flows  north  or  slightly  west  of  north  about  200  miles,  entering 
the  Atlantic  Ocean  within  25  miles  of  the  north  line  of  the  State. 
The  elevations  along  this  river  at  no  point  exceed  25  feet  above 
sea,  the  entire  valley  lying  within  the  artesian  flow  area  of  the 
State.  The  principal  tributaries  of  the  St.  Johns  are  Black  Creek 
and  Ocklawaha  River.  The  former  heads  in  the  uplands  of  Clay 
County,  while  the  latter  is  fed  from  numerous  lakes  of  Lake 
County  and  receives  tributaries  from  Silver  Springs  in  Marion 
County  and  from  the  lakes  of  southeastern  Alachua  County. 

The  St.  Mary's  River,  forming  a  part  of  the  northern  boun- 
dary of  the  State,  rises  in  or  near  Okefenokee  Swamp,  in  Georgia. 
From  its  origin  it  flows  south  until  on  a  parallel  with  the  mouth 
of  the  St.  Johns  river.  From  this  point  it  bends  abruptly  and 
flows  north  for  thirty  miles,  then,  turning  again,  flows  a  little 
south  of  east  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean.  Nassau  is  one  of  the  smaller 
rivers  and  with  its  tributary,  Thomas  Creek,  forms  part  of  the 
boundary  between  Nassau  and  Duval  Counties.  The  Withlacoo- 
chee,  Hillsboro,  Peace  and  Caloosahatchee  rivers  flow  into  the 
Gulf. 

Bordering  the  streams,  both  the  main  rivers  and  their  tribu- 
taries, are  found  in  many  places,  open,  flat,  imperfectly  drained 
pine  lands.  These  lands  are  classed  in  the  section  treating  of  soils 
as  open  flatwoods.  A  somewhat  different  and  more  extensive 
type  of  country  is  that  designated  as  palmetto  flatwoods.  An 
essential  difference  in  these  two  types  of  country  is  the  presence 
or  absence  of  the  saw  palmetto,  the  pine  forest  being  common  to 
both.  In  Nassau  and  Duval  Counties  and  along  the  tributaries 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        123 

of  the  St.  Johns  River  extensive  areas  of  open  flatwoods  occur. 

Along  the  border  of  the  uplands,  back  from  the  river  and  from 
the  coast,  a  different  type  of  topography  has  developed,  consisting 
largely  of  the  sandy  or  rolling  pine  type  of  soil  although  scrub 
hammock  lands  occur.  These  several  types  of  country  are  due 
to  a  considerable  extent  to  the  drainage  conditions.  On  the  sum- 
mit of  the  plateau,  in  the  interior  of  Florida,  palmetto  flatwoods 
and  to  some  extent  open  flatwoods  are  again  encountered. 

CLIMATE. 

The  counties  of  Florida,  covered  by  this  report,  lie  bordering 
or  near  the  Atlantic  Ocean  and  the  Gulf,  and  are  favorably 
located  for  a  mild  and  equable  climate.  The  heat  of  summer,  a? 
elsewhere  in  Florida,  is  tempered  by  the  proximity  to  the  ocean. 
By  varying  the  crops,  the  growing  season  can  be  made  to  extend 
practically  throughout  the  year. 

TEMPERATURE. 

As  the  total  length  of  the  section  covered  by  this  report 
extends  north  and  south  fully  425  miles,  the  temperature  varies 
appreciably  between  northern  and  southern  points.  At  Jackson- 
ville, in  Duval  County,  within  about  25  miles  of  the  north  line 
of  the  State,  the  mean  annual  temperature  is  69  degrees  Fahren- 
heit. The  means  for  the  four  seasons  of  the  year  are  as  follows : 
Winter,  56;  Spring,  69;  Summer,  81;  Fall,  70.  The  absolute 
maximum  for  summer  heat  recorded  at  Jacksonville  is  104, 
although  temperatures  above  100  are  rare.  The  lowest  tempera- 
ture recorded  is  10  above  zero.  The  mean  temperatures  for  the 
several  months  of  the  year  at  Jacksonville  are  as  follows : 
January,  55  ;  February,  58 ;  March,  63 ;  April,  68 ;  May,  75 ;  June, 
80 ;  July,  82 ;  August,  82 ;  September,  78 ;  October,  71 ;  Novem- 
ber, 62 ;  December,  56.* 

At  New  Smyrna,  in  Volusia  County,  a  station  about  100  miles 


*United  States  Weather  Bureau  Bull.  Q,  Climatology  of  the  Eastern 
United  States,  by  Alfred  Judson  Henry,  p.  352,  1906. 


124  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

south  of  Jacksonville,  as  shown  by  the  same  report,  the  annual 
mean  temperature  is  70  degrees  F.  The  means  for  the  four 
seasons  are:  Winter,  58;  Spring,  68;  Summer,  79;  Fall,  72. 
The  absolute  maximum  for  summer  heat  recorded  at  New 
Smyrna  is  100  degrees  F.  The  lowest  temperature  recorded  is 
16  above  zero.  The  mean  temperatures  for  the  several  months 
of  the  year  (Fahrenheit)  are  as  follows:  January,  57;  February, 
59 ;  March,  65 ;  April,  67 ;  May,  73 ;  June,  78 ;  July,  80 ;  August, 
80;  September,  78;  October,  73;  November,  66;  December,  58. 

At  Tampa,  in  Hillsboro  County,  the  annual  mean  temperature 
is  72  degrees  F.  The  means  for  the  four  seasons  are :  Winter, 
61 ;  Spring,  71 ;  Summer,  81 ;  Fall,  73.  The  absolute  maximum 
for  summer  recorded  at  Tampa  is  96  degrees  F.  The  lowest 
temperature  recorded  is  19  above  zero.  The  mean  temperatures 
for  the  several  months  of  the  year  (Fahrenheit)  are  as  follows: 
January,  59  ;  February,  62  ;  March,  67  ;  April,  70  ;  May,  76  ;  June, 
80 ;  July,  81 ;  August,  82  ;  September,  80  ;  October,  74  ;  November, 
67 ;  December,  61. 

At  Miami,  in  Dade  County,  the  annual  mean  temperature  is 
75  degrees  F.  The  means  for  the  four  seasons  are:  Winter,  67; 
Spring,  73 ;  Summer,  82 ;  Fall,  78.  The  absolute  maximum  for 
summer  recorded  at  Miami  is  96  degrees  F.  The  lowest  tempera- 
ture recorded  is  29  above  zero.  The  mean  temperatures  for  the 
several  months  of  the  year  (Fahrenheit)  are  as  follows:  January, 
65;  February,  67;  March,  71;  April,  74;  May,  76;  June,  81; 
July,  82  ;  August,  82  ;  September,  81 ;  October,  78  ;  November,  74  ;. 
December,  69. 

At  Key  West,  in  Monroe  County,  the  annual  mean  tempera- 
ture is  77  degrees  F.  The  means  for  the  four  seasons  are : 
Winter,  70;  Spring,  76;  Summer,  83;  Fall,  79.  The  absolute 
maximum  for  summer  recorded  at  Key  West  is  100  degrees  F. 
The  lowest  temperature  recorded  is  41  above  zero.  The  mean 
temperatures  for  the  several  months  of  the  year  (Fahrenheit) 
|re  as  follows:  January,  70;  February,  71;  March,  73;  April, 
76;  May,  79;  June,  82;  July,  84;  August,  84;  September,  85; 
October,  79 ;  November,  74 ;  December,  70. 

At  Jacksonville,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  State,  there  is 


WATER  SUPPLY  OP  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        125 

little  or  no  danger  of  frost  before  the  latter  part  of  October. 
Light  frosts,  however,  may  occur  as  early  as  the  latter  part  of 
October.  The  earliest  killing  frost  recorded,  at  this  station,  is 
November  2,  while  the  average  date  of  the  first  killing  frost  for 
the  past  fifty-three  years  is  December  4.  The  latest  date  of  a 
killing  frost  in  the  spring,  at  Jacksonville,  is  April  6,  and  the 
average  date  of  the  last  killing  frost  is  February  14.  Light  frosts, 
however,  have  been  known  to  occur  as  late  as  April  28. 

At  New  Smyrna  the  earliest  date  of  a  killing  frost  in  the  fall 
is  November  28,  while  the  average  date  of  the  first  killing  frost 
for  the  past  sixteen  years  is  December  23.  The  latest  date  of  a 
killing  frost  at  this  place  in  the  spring  is  March  22.  The  average 
date  of  the  last  killing  frost  is  February  16.* 

At  Tampa  the  earliest  date  of  killing  frost  recorded  is  No- 
vember 28,  while  the  average  date  of  the  first  killing  frost  is 
January  9.  The  latest  date  of  killing  frost  in  the  spring  recorded 
at  Tampa  is  March  19.  The  average  date  of  the  last  killing 
frost  is  February  8. 

At  Miami  the  earliest  recorded  date  of  the  killing  frost  in 
autumn  is  December  26,  and  the  latest  date  in  the  spring  is 
February  19.  The  killing  frost  at  this  locality  is  so  infrequent 
that  no  attempt  is  made  to  determine  the  average  date. 

At  Key  West,  at  the  extreme  southern  end  of  Florida,  frosts 
do  not  occur.f 

PRECIPITATION. 

The  season  of  heavy  rainfall  in  Eastern  Florida  includes  the 
summer  and  early  fall  months.  As  a  rule  approximately  one-half 
of  the  rainfall  of  the  year  comes  during  the  four  months,  June, 
July,  August  and  September. 


*U.  S.  Dept.  Agri.  Summary  of  the  Climatological  Data  for  the  United 
States  by  sections :  Section  83. — Northern  Florida,  A.  J.  Mitchell,  Section 
Director.  Also  Climatology  of  Jacksonville,  Fla.,  and  Vicinity,  Monthly 
Weather  Review  for  December,  1907,  by  T.  Frederick  Davis. 

fUnited  States  Weather  Bureau,  Summary  of  the  Climatological  Data 
for  the  United  States  by  Sections :  Section  84. — Southern  Florida,  A.  J. 
Mitchell. 


126  FLORIDA   STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

The  average  rainfall  at  Jacksonville  for  the  32  years  ending 
with  1903  was  53.4  inches  annually.  The  mean  for  the  four 
seasons  of  the  year  is  as  follows:  Winter,  9.4  inches ;  Spring, 
10.4  inches ;  Summer,  17.9  inches ;  Fall,  15.7  inches.  The  mean 
for  the  several  months  of  the  year  at  Jacksonville  is  as  follows : 
January,  3  inches ;  February,  3.4  inches ;  March,  3.5  inches ;  April, 
2.9  inches;  May,  4  inches;  June,  5.5  inches;  July,  6.2  inches; 
August,  6.2  inches;  September,  8.1  inches;  October,  5.1  inches; 
November,  2.5  inches ;  December,  3  inches. 

At  New  Smyrna  the  annual  rainfall  as  shown  by  the  same 
report  is  51.1  inches.  The  mean  for  the  four  seasons  is  as  fol- 
lows :  Winter,  8.4  inches ;  Spring,  6.8  inches ;  Summer,  17.4 
inches ;  Fall,  18.5  inches.  The  mean  precipitation  for  the  several 
months  of  the  year  at  this  station  is  as  follows :  January,  2.8 
inches;  February,  3.6  inches;  March,  2.6  inches;  April,  1.6 
inches ;  May,  2.6  inches ;  June,  6.2  inches ;  July,  5.6  inches ; 
August,  5.6  inches ;  September,  9.2  inches ;  October,  6.7  inches ; 
November,  2.6  inches ;  December,  2  inches.* 

At  Tampa  the  annual  rainfall  is  53.1  inches.  The  mean  for 
the  four  seasons  is  as  follows :  Winter,  8.1  inches ;  Spring,  7.4 
inches ;  Summer,  24.9  inches ;  Fall,  12.7  inches.  The  mean  pre- 
cipitation for  the  several  months  of  the  year  at  Tampa  is  as 
follows :  January,  2.8  inches ;  February,  3.5  inches ;  March,  2.9 
inches ;  April,  2.1  inches ;  May,  2.4  inches ;  June,  8.5  inches ;  July, 
8.0  inches ;  August,  8.4  inches ;  September,  8.2  inches ;  October, 
2.8  inches;  November,  1.7  inches;  December,  1.8  inches. 

At  Miami  the  annual  rainfall  is  58.3  inches.  The  mean  for 
the  four  seasons  is  as  follows :  Winter,  8.1  inches ;  Spring,  11.1 
inches ;  Summer,  20.6  inches ;  Fall,  18.5  inches.  The  mean  pre- 
cipitation for  the  several  months  of  the  year  at  Tampa  is  as  fol- 
lows: January,  4.0  inches;  February,  2.5  inches;  March,  3.1 
inches;  April,  3.5  inches;  May,  4.5  inches;  June,  8.2  inches;  July, 

7.0  inches;  August,  5.4  inches;  September,  9.1  inches;  October, 

7.1  inches;  November,  2.3  inches;  December,  1.6  inches. 

At  Key  West  the  annual  rainfall  is  37.9  inches.     The  iw;m 

"United  States  Weather  Bureau,  Bull.  Q. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN   FLORIDA.         127 

for  the  four  seasons  is  as  follows :  Winter,  5.3  inches ;  Spring, 
5.5  inches;  Summer,  12.6  inches;  Fall,  14.5  inches.  The  mean 
precipitation  for  the  several  months  of  the  year  at  Key  West  is 
as  follows :  January,  2.0  inches ;  February,  1.6  inches  ;  March,  1.2 
inches;  April,  1.2  inches;  May,  3.1  inches;  June,  4.2  inches; 
July,  3.7  inches;  August,  4.7  inches;  September,  7.0  inches;  Oc- 
tober, 5.4  inches;  November,  2.1  inches;  December,  1.7  inches. 

SOILS. 

The  geologic,  topographic,  climatic  and  drainage  conditions 
have  much  to  do  with  the  character  of  soils.  Since  the  inorganic 
constituents  of  soils  are  derived  primarily  from  the  decay  of  pre- 
existent  formations,  the  character  of  the  soil  is  determined  to  a 
considerable  extent  by  the  formation  from  which  it'  is  derived. 
The  thickness  and  manner  of  accumulation  of  the  residual  ma- 
terial as  well  as  accumulation  of  the  organic  constituents  is  af- 
fected by  the  topographic,  climatic  and  drainage  conditions."  The 
following  are  the  more  prominent  soil  types  in  the  part  of  Florida 
covered  by  this  report : 

Rolling  pine  lands :  This  type  includes  light,  sandy,  well- 
drained  soils.  The  native  vegetation  is  pine  and  wire  grass. 
Oaks  and  other  hard  wood  trees  occasionally  occur.  The  saw 
palmetto  is  for  the  most  part  absent.  This  type  of  soil  pre- 
dominates in  the  lake  region  of  Florida. 

Palmetto  flatwoods:  The  palmetto  flatwoods  occur  over  an 
extensive  area  in  Florida.  This  type  of  country  is  flatter  than 
the  sandy  pine  land  and  not  so  well  drained.  The  native  vege- 
tation of  these  lands  consists  chiefly  of  pine,  saw  palmetto  and 
wire  grass.  The  sand  is  dark  at  the  surface,  becoming  lighter 
below.  As  a  rule  the  so-called  "hardpan"  underlies  the  palmetto 
flatwoods.  This  "hardpan"  consists  of  sand  stained  with  organic 
matter  and  has  the  appearance  of  being  partly  cemented  with 
iron.  When  dry  it  is  fairly  well  indurated,  but  as  a  rule  it  may 
be  penetrated  with  the  soil  auger.  The  transition  in  the  bore 
hole  from  the  light  colored  sand  to  "hardpan"  is  abrupt.  The 
"hardpan"  itself  is  very  dark  colored  at  the  top  and  grades  into 
chocolate  colored  sands  below. 


128  FLORIDA   STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

The  "hardpan"  is  very  objectionable  in  farming  lands  as  it 
prevents  free  movement  of  water  by  capillary  attraction.  The 
lands  underlaid  by  "hardpan"  are  not  resistant  to  droughts.  How- 
ever, where  an  abundance  of  water  can  be  obtained  cheaply,  as 
in  the  section  of  flowing  artesian  water,  such  lands  may  be  used 
to  advantage  by  keeping  them  saturated  with  water. 

Open  flatiuoods :  The  open  flatwoods  are  much  less  extensive 
than  the  palmetto  flatwoods.  The  native  vegetation  of  the  land 
of  this  type  is  chiefly  pine  and  wire  grass  with  little  or  no  under- 
brush. The  saw  palmetto  is  absent  or  nearly  so  and  there  is 
little  or  no  "hardpan."  The  soil  to  a  depth  of  from  one  to  three 
feet  is  dark  ashy  gray  owing  to  the  presence  of  organic  matter 
mixed  with  the  sand.  A  clay  sub-soil  is  usually  found  at  the 
depth  of  from  one  to  four  feet.  This  type  of  land  when  drained 
and  irrigated  has  been  used  with  great  success  in  growing  Irish 
potatoes,  sweet  potatoes  and  other  trucking  crops  and  in  gen- 
eral farming. 

Prairie  lands:  The  word  "prairie"  is  applied  to  open  lands 
devoid  of  trees.  The  native  growth  is  largely  grasses. 

Muck  lands:  The  term  "muck  soils"  is  applied  in  ordinary 
usage  to  lands  on  which  organic  matter  from  decay  of  vegetation 
has  accumulated  to  some  depth.  Vegetable  matter  accumulates 
in  this  way  only  on  such  lands  as  are  overflowed  during  a  con- 
siderable part  or  all  of  the  year.  The  largest  tract  of  muck  lands 
in  the  State  is  the  Everglades.  Many  smaller  tracts  occur,  how- 
ever, throughout  the  State. 

Clay  lands:  The  clay  soils  are  usually  of  limited  extent,  oc- 
curring at  places  where  the  superficial  sands  have  been  removed 
by  surface  wash.  The  clay  soils  are  lacking  in  organic  matter 
and  before  being  farmed  must  be  broken  up  and  organic  matter 
incorporated. 

Hammock  lands:  The  term  "hammock  land"  is  most  fre- 
quently applied  to  lands  underlaid  by  marl  or  limestone  and  sup- 
porting a  thick  growth  of  vegetation,  including  hardwood  trees 
and  cabbage  palmetto.  These  lands  when  cleared  make  excellent 
farming  lands.  Other  hammock  lands  occur,  however,  which 
have  no  evident  relation  to  marl  deposits.  These  likewise  support 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN   FLORIDA.         129 

a  heavy  growth  of  hardwood  trees.  The  soil  consists  of  a  rich 
humus  due  to  the  accumulation  of  leaves.  Beneath  the  humus 
is  usually  found  several  feet  of  orange  yellow  sand. 

Sandy  hammock  lands:-  The  sandy  hammock  lands  as  de- 
veloped in  the  sections  bordering  the  coasts  are  of  wind-blown 
sands  or  low  dunes  on  which  vegetation  has  gained  a  foothold. 
Various  hardwood  trees  grow  on  this  type  of  land.  It  has  been 
found  in  many  instances  desirable  for  orange  culture.  It  is  used 
also  to  some  extent  in  vegetable  growing.  The  open  nature  of 
the  soil,  however,  results  in  a  heavy  loss  of  fertilizer  from 
leaching. 

Scrub :  Scrub  is  a  term  applied  to  very  sandy  lands  which 
support  a  dense  growth  of  shrubby  plants.  The  sandy  pine 
lands  often  pass  very  abruptly  and  with  no  apparent  reason  into 
scrub.  Few  attempts  have  been  made  to  utilize  the  scrub  lands 
for  farming  purposes. 

Sand  dunes:  The  sand  dunes  both  of  recent  and  of  earlier 
formation  occur  frequently  in  Florida  particularly  along  the 
coast.  The  sand  dune  soil  has  been  found  especially  adapted  to 
the  growing  of  pineapples,  the  extensive  pineapple  farms  of  St. 
Lucie  County  being  largely  located  on  quiescent  dunes. 

River  swamp :  The  river  swamp  lands  support  a  dense 
growth  of  hardwood  trees.  On  the  smaller  streams  where  the 
elevation  is  sufficient  to  permit  of  successful  drainage  these  lands 
if  cleared  would  furnish  desirable  trucking  and  farming  land. 

Salt  marsh :  Extensive  salt  marshes  occur  along  the  Atlantic 
coast  and  bordering  the  streams  entering  the  ocean. 

UNDERGROUND  WATER:     GENERAL  DISCUSSION. 
SOURCE. 

Rainfall:  The  chief  source  of  underground  water  is  the 
rainfall.  Water  vaporized  through  the  energy  of  the  sun  passes 
into  the  atmosphere  and  is  precipitated  over  the  land  as  rain  or 
condensed  as  dew  or  fog.  The  vapor  is  supplied  to  the  atmos- 
phere by  evaporation,  principally  from  the  ocean,  which,  occu- 


130  FLORIDA   STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

pying  three-fourths  of  the  earth's  surface,  is  continuously  ex- 
posed to  the  sun's  rays.  To  the  vapor  from  the  ocean  is  added 
that  arising  from  inland  waters,  from  the  dry  land  surface  to 
the  earth,  and  from  the  leaves  of  plants. 

Small  additions  to  the  underground  water  supply  may  come 
through  any  one  of  a  number  of  other  possible  sources,  but  the 
total  amount  thus  added  is  relatively  small  and  may  be  omitted 
in  a  general  discussion.* 

ANNUAL  RAINFALL. 

The  annual  rainfall  is  the  measure  of  the  column  of  water 
that  would  accumulate  at  any  spot  in  the  course  of  a  year,  if  all 
that  falls  should  be  preserved.  The  measurement  is  commonly 
stated  in  inches.  The  average  rainfall  for  the  State  as  a  whole 
for  the  fifteen  years,  from  1892  to  1906,  inclusive,  as  deduced 
from  the  U.  S.  Weather  Reports,  was  53.1?  inches,  annually. 
The  year  1907  was  a  year  of  less  than  average  rainfall,  49.15 
inches,  and  if  this  year  is  included  the  average  for  the  sixteen 
years,  1892  to  1907,  falls  below  53  inches,  being  52.92  inches. 
If  longer  periods  be  considered  the  variation  from  this  average 
is  not  sufficient  to  materially  change  the  result.  The  area  cov- 
ered by  this  report  lies  in  that  part  of  the  State  supplied  with 
about  the  average  rainfall,  and  53  inches  may  be  safely  assumed 
as  a  close  approximation  to  the  annual  rainfall  for  this  section. 

DISPOSITION  OF  RAINFALL. 

Of  the  total  rainfall  of  any  area,  (1)  a  part  is  returned  as 
vapor  to  the  atmosphere  without  having  entered  the  earth;  (2)  a 
part  is  carried  off  by  streams  and  rivers  to  the  ocean  without 
penetrating  the  earth ;  (3)  a  part  is  absorbed  into  the  earth. 

(1)   WATER  EVAPORATED  WITHOUT  ENTERING  THE  EARTH. 
Immediately  following  a  rain  the  atmosphere  is  nearly  or  quite 


*A  recent  discussion  of  possible  sources  of  underground  water  other 
than  rainfall  will  be  found  in  Bulletin  319,  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.,  by  M.  L. 
Fuller. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        131 

saturated.  The  evaporation  at  this  time  is  slow,  and  the  part 
returned  to  the  atmosphere  directly  from  the  land  is  an  almost 
negligible  amount.  This  is  especially  true  of  a  soil  into  which  the 
water  enters  quickly.  Some  of  the  water  clinging  to  the  leaves 
of  plants  is  re-evaporated,  as  well  as  a  part  of  that  which  falls 
into  lakes,  ponds  and  temporary  pools.  While  an  estimate  of  the 
amount  evaporated  must  be  regarded  as  only  in  the  roughest  way 
approximate,  yet  it  is  probably  safe  to  assume  that  not  more  than 
two  or  three  per  cent,  of  the  total  rainfall  is  returned  to  the 
atmosphere  by  direct  evaporation  without  having  entered  the 
earth. 

(2)    SURFACE  RUN-OFF. 

The  relative  proportion  between  the  surface  run-off  and  the 
surface  in-take  of  water  is  dependent  upon  the  character  of  the 
surface  and  the  deeper  formations  and  upon  the  topography.  The 
former  affects  rapidity  of  in-take  of  water  into  the  earth ;  the 
latter  the  rapidity  of  surface  run-off. 

With  regard  to  topography  Peninsular  Florida  is  either  flat 
or  rolling.  Rarely  can  a  locality  within  this  section  be  described 
as  hilly.  The  elevation  increases  gradually  from  sea  level  at  the 
coast  to  a  maximum  of  scarcely  more  than  200  feet  inland,  while 
large  sections  are  so  flat  as  to  present  no  perceptible  slope.  Top- 
ographically the  conditions  are,  therefore,  very  unfavorable  to 
surface  run-off.  On  the  other  hand,  the  conditions  are  exception- 
ally favorable  to  large  surface  in-take.  The  soils  are  sandy  and 
receive  and  store  the  rainfall  with  great  readiness. 

(3)       RAINFALL  ENTERING  THE  EARTH. 

Of  the  water  which  enters  the  earth,  a  part  is  ultimately 
returned  to  the  atmosphere  by  evaporation.  The  water  retained  in 
soils  is  slowly  given  up  through  evaporation  during  dry  weather. 
As  the  evaporation  takes  place  near  the  surface,  the  capillary 
attraction  draws  a  new  supply  from  beneath,  thus  maintaining  to 
some  extent  the  moisture  content  of  the  soil.  The  amount  of  water 
thus  brought  to  the  surface  and  evaporated,  while  varying  with 
climate  and  with  soils,  is,  in  the  course  of  a  year,  considerable. 


132  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

To  the  evaporation  from  the  surface  of  the  soil  must  be  added 
that  from  the  leaves  of  plants.  This  in  turn  varies  greatly  with 
the  different  plants  and  with  different  climatic  conditions.  King, 
in  1892,  in  one  experiment,  found  that  a  crop  of  peas  evaporated 
47?  pounds  of  water  for  each  pound  of  dry  matter  formed,  while 
corn  under  the  same  conditions  evaporated  in  one  instance  238 
pounds  of  water  per  pound  of  dry  matter.*  Assuming  that  a 
citrus  tree  evaporates  approximately  as  much  as  the  European 
oak  (Quercus  cerris),  the  water  evaporated  from  the  leaves  of  a 
fifteen-year-old  orange  tree  is  estimated,  by  Hilgarcl,  at  20,000 
pounds  a  year,  or  about  1,000  tons  of  water  per  acre  of  100  trees.f 
This  is  equivalent  to  about  nine  inches  annual  rainfall  over  the 
same  area.  Water  is  the  chief  vehicle  for  conveying  plant  food 
absorbed  from  the  soil  by  the  roots.  This  enormous  evaporation 
from  the  leaves  is  in  part  for  the  purpose  of  disposing  of  the 
water  thus  taken  up  by  the  plant.  It  serves  chiefly,  however,  the 
purpose  of  preventing,  through  the  conversion  of  water  into  vapor, 
an  injurious  rise  of  temperature  during  the  hot  sunshine  and  dry 
weather. 

It  is  impossible  to  estimate  within  even  approximate  limits 
the  loss  of  water  by  evaporation  from  the  surface  of  the  ground, 
and  from  the  leaves  of  plants  in  the  area  under  consideration. 
The  atmosphere  in  Florida  is  relatively  humid.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  temperature  throughout  most  of  the  year  is  high.  Much 
of  the  country  is  uncultivated,  and  practically  all  of  the  soil  is  of 
medium  coarse  texture. 

It  is  probable  that  almost  one-half  of  the  rainfall  entering  the 
earth  is  re-evaporated  from  the  surface  of  the  ground  and  from 
the  leaves  of  plants,  and  that  not  more  than  one-half  of  the  total 
rainfall  in  Florida  passes  through  the  soil  and  surface  material 
to  join  the  underground  water  supply. 


*20th  Ann.  Report  Wis.  Agriculture  Experiment  Station,  p.  320  ,1904. 
fBased  on  weighings  made  by  R.  H.  Loughridge  of  the  leaves  of  a 
citrus  tree  at  Riverside,  Calif.    Soils,  by  E.  W.  Hilgard,  p.  263,  1906. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        133 

AMOUNT  OF  WATER  AVAILABLE  FOR  THE  UNDERGROUND 
SUPPLY. 

An  annual  rainfall  of  53  inches  is  found  by  computation  to 
amount  to  921,073,379  gallons  per  square  mile.  Of  this  amount 
it  is  estimated  that  in  Central  Florida  about  one-half  is  added  each 
year  to  the  underground  water  supply. 

UNDERGROUND  CIRCULATION  OF  WATER. 

Underground  water  is  found  usually  to  be  in  motion,  thread- 
ing its  way  through  pores,  breaks,  crevices,  joints  and  other  open- 
ings in  the  rocks.  Its  movement  is  ordinarily  slow  and  varies 
with  different  rocks  and  under  different  conditions. 

CAUSE  OF  MOVEMENT. 

The  chief  cause  of  movement  of  underground,  as  of  surface 
water,  is  gravity.  Capillarity  is  an  additional  force  which,  under 
special  conditions,  may  become  the  controlling  factor.  The  water 
returned  to  and  evaporated  from  the  surface  of  the  ground,  as 
well  as  that  carried  to  and  evaporated  from  the  leaves  of  plants, 
is  moved  by  capillarity  in  opposition  to  gravity.  Gravity,  how- 
ever, is  the  controlling  force  in  the  movement  of  water  through 
the  deep  zones  of  the  earth.  Pressure,  which  is  an  important 
secondary  cause  of  the  movement  in  the  earth,  is  the  expression 
of  gravity.  Except  in  the  case  of  capillarity,  the  movement  of 
water,  apparently  in  opposition  to  gravity,  is,  upon  closer  observa- 
tion, found  to  be  in  reality  movement  in  response  to  gravity.  The 
water,  which  rises  in  a  boring  or  flows  from  an  artesian  well  or 
spring,  is  forced  up  by  pressure,  due  principally  to  the  weight  of 
water  lying  at  a  higher  level.  The  familiar  observation  that  water 
seeks  its  own  level  has  the  same  explanation. 

RATE  OF  MOVEMENT. 

The  chief  factors  affecting  the  rate  of  movement  of  water 
through  a  porous  medium,  as  given  by  Slichter,  are  as  follows  :* 

*Water  Supply  Paper,  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.,  No.  67,  p.  17,  18,  1902. 


134  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

(1.)  Porosity  of  the  material. 

(2.)  Size  of  the  pores  in  the  water-bearing  medium. 

(3.)  Pressure. 

(4.)  Temperature  of  the  water. 

(1.)  Rocks  contain  pores  which,  in  the  absence  of  a  liquid,, 
are  ordinarily  filled  with  air.  The  relative  proportion  of  these 
spaces  in  the  rock  to  the  whole  volume  is  the  measure  of  the 
porosity.  Thus,  if  a  cubic  foot  of  sandstone  will  hold  in  its  pores 
one-fourth  cubic  foot  of  water,  its  porosity  is  25  per  cent.  The 
greater  the  porosity,  the  more  water  absorbed  by  the  rocks. 

(2.)  The  size  of  the  pores  in  the  rock  affects  the  rate  of  flow. 
Rocks  having  large  pores  receive  and  conduct  water  many  times 
more  rapidly  than  those  having  small  pores. 

(3.)  The  greater  the  pressure,  other  conditions  remaining 
the  same,  the  more  rapid  the  flow.  A  pressure  of  one  pound  per 
square  inch  is  required  to  support  each  2.31  feet  of  a  column  of 
distilled  water  at  the  temperature  of  60  degrees  F.  The  weight 
of  water  from  the  deep  zones  is  increased  by  solids  in  solution. 
and  in  suspension,  and  is  affected  by  changes  in  temperature. 
Something  more  than  a  hundred  pounds  pressure  to  the  square 
inch  is  required  to  cause  a  flow  from  the  bottom  of  a  well  231  feet 
deep.  Something  more  than  500  pounds  pressure  to  the  square 
inch  is  required  to  c'ause  the  rise  of  water  in  a  boring,  a  distance 
of  1,150  feet.  Pressure  of  this  magnitude  must  materially  assist 
in  forcing  water  through  the  rock. 

(4.)  The  temperature  of  the  water  is  found  to  influence  the 
rate  of  flow.  Slichter  finds  that  a  change  from  50  to  60  degrees  F. 
increases  the  capacity  to  transmit  water,  under  identical  condi- 
tions, by  about  16  per  cent.f 

DEPTH  OF  UNDERGROUND  WATER. 

The  limit  of  the  downward  extent  of  water  has  not  been 
reached  by  borings  or  tunnels,  some  of  which  exceed  a  mile  in 


fWater  Supply  and  Irrigation  Paper,  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.  No.  140,  p.  13, 
1905. 


FLORIDA   GEOLOGICAL   SURVEY. 


FIFTH   ANNUAL   REPORT.   PL.   10. 


Fig.  1. — Palmetto  flatwoods.    View  taken  on  Amelia  Island  in  Nassau 
County. 


Fig.  2. — Palmetto  flatwoods.    View  taken  five  miles  east  of  Ft.  Myers, 
Lee  County. 


EXPLANATION  OF  PLATE  11. 

Fig  1. — Scrub.  This  type  of  soil  consists  of  white  sand  and  is  not 
adapted  for  farming.  Photograph  by  R.  M.  Harper.  View  taken  on  east 
side  of  Lake  Kingsley,  Clay  County. 

Fig.  2. — Well  drained  pine  lands.  This  type  of  soil  is  well  drained,  and 
consists  of  a  sandy  loam.  The  prevailing  vegetation  is  pine,  wire  grass 
and  oaks.  The  soil  is  light,  and  is  suitable  for  early  vegetables,  and  for 
orange  growing.  As  a  farming  soil  it  requires  building  up  and  fertilizing. 
View  taken  near  DeLeon  Springs,  in  Volusia  County. 

Fig.  3. — Open  rlatwoods.  The  soil  consists  of  a  dark  sandy  loam 
underlaid  at  -the  depth  of  one  to  five  feet  by  clay  subsoil.  The  prevailing 
vegetation  is  pine  and  wire  grass.  These  flatwoods  are  naturally  poorly 
drained.  When  properly  drained,  however,  the  soil  is  good  and  suitable 
for  trucking  and  general  farming.  View  taken  three  miles  east  of  DeLeon 
Springs. 


FLORIDA  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


FIFTH  ANNUAL  REPORT.    PL.  11. 


EXPLANATION  OF  PLATE  12. 

Fig.  1. — Muck  soil.  The  Everglades  of  Florida  along  the  drainage 
canal,  west  of  Fort  Lauderdale.  The  soil  here  consists  of  muck  to  a  depth 
of  three  to  five  feet,  underlaid  by  sands  which,  in  turn,  rest  upon  oolitic 
limestone. 

Fig.  2.— Prairie  soil.  One  of  the  typical  small  prairies.  View  taken 
10  miles  west  of  Sebastian.  The  soil  consists  of  light  colored  sands  to  a 
depth  of  several  feet,  underlaid  by  clay  or  hardpan.  The  small  prairie 
shown  in  the  foreground  is  surrounded  by  palmetto  flatwoods. 

Fig.  3. — Calcareous  hammock  soil.  A  view  in  Turnbull  Hammock,  one 
mile  west  of  Daytona.  Shell  marl  here  lies  at  or  very  near  the  surface. 
The  native  vegetation  includes  cabbage  palmetto  and  various  deciduous 
hardwood  trees.  The  calcareous  soils  are  desirable,  particularly  for  vege- 
table growing. 


FLORIDA  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


FIFTH   ANNUAL  REPORT.      PL.   12. 


EXPLANATION  OF  PLATE  13. 

Fig.  1. — Sand  dune.  This  view  illustrates  one  of  the  recent  sand  dunes 
near  Mayport,  at  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Johns  River. 

Fig.  2. — Ancient  sand  dune.  This  view  is  taken  at  the  crossing  of  the 
public  road  across  the  dunes,  about  two  miles  west  of  Daytona.  The  dune 
here  consists  of  light  colored  sand  to  a  depth  of  four  or  five  feet,  under- 
laid by  ochre  yellow  sands. 

Fig.  .'?. — Clay  soil.  Exposure  at  Saw  Pit  Landing  on  the  St.  Marys 
River,  in  Nassau  County.  The  soil  here  is  a  sticky  clay  soil  residual  from 
the  decay  of  the  clayey  limestone. 


FLORIDA  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


FIFTH   ANNUAL  REPORT.      PL.   13. 


FLORIDA  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


FIFTH   ANNUAL   REPORT.      PL.    14. 


Fig.  1. — Exposure  of  hardpan  along  Black  Bluff  on  Clarks  Creek,  eight 
miles  from  Fernandina. 


Fig.  2. — Artesian  well  used  for  power  belonging  to  H.  T.  Bowden,  Mel- 
bourne, Brevard  County.    The  water  from  the  artesian  well  affords 
power  by  which  water  is  pumped  from  a  nearby  shallow  well. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN   FLORIDA.         135 

depth.  Water,  while  thus  known  to  penetrate  to  a  depth  greater 
than  a  mile,  probably  does  not  reach  beyond  five  or  six  miles  at 
the  most.  The  movement,  as  has  been  stated,  is  through  natural 
openings  in  the  rock.  Pressure  increases  in  the  earth  with  depth, 
and  it  is  estimated  that,  at  a  depth  of  approximately  six  miles, 
the  pressure  is  so  great  that  the  pores  and  cavities  of  even  the 
strongest  rocks  are  completely  closed,!  making  it  impossible  for 
water  to  penetrate  beyond  this  depth.  Most  of  the  water,  how- 
ever, returns  to  the  surface  after  a  comparatively  short  under- 
ground course,  only  a  small  part  of  it  reaching  to  this  great  depth. 

HYDROGEN  SULPHIDE  IN  UNDERGROUND  WATER. 

The  underground  water  of  Florida  is  very  generally  im- 
pregnated with  hydrogen  sulphide  (EkS),  also  known  as  sul- 
phuretted hydrogen,  and  hydro-sulphuric  acid.  Water  containing 
hydrogen  sulphide  is  commonly  known  as  "sulphur  water." 
Sulphur  water  is  especially  characteristic  of  the  areas  of  artesian 
flow.  In  those  sections  in  which  open,  porous  limestone  is  the 
surface  formation,  hydrogen  sulphide  is  usually  absent  from  the 
first  water  encountered,  although,  even  here,  it  is  found  to  exist 
in  the  water  from  the  deep  wells  and  in  some  springs. 

Source : — Hydrogen  sulphide  may  originate,  in  nature,  in 
any  one  of  several  ways.  The  following  have  been  suggested : 
(1)  The  decay  of  organic  matter  containing  sulphur;  (2)  the 
reaction  of  organic  matter  upon  sulphides  or  sulphates;  (3)  the 
reaction  of  acids  upon  sulphides;  (4)  partial  oxidization  of 
sulphides;  (5)  steam  passing  over  sulphur. 

The  decay  of  organic  matter  is  an  obvious  source  of  hydrogen 
sulphide  in  the  underground  waters  of  Florida.  Chemical  analysis 
shows  that  sulphur  is  very  generally  present  in  Florida  soils,* 
and  apparently  invariably  present  in  muck  soils.  Analyses  of 
samples  of  peat,  which  is,  like  muck,  a  vegetable  accumulation, 
will  be  found  in  the  paper  on  peat  deposits  published  in  1910. 
The  amount  of  sulphur  in  the  Florida  peat,  in  the  dried  samples, 
varies  from  less  than  1  per  cent,  to  over  4  per  cent. 


±L.  M.  Hoskins,  16th  Ann.  Rept.  U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.,  Part  I,  p.  859,  1896. 


136  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Hydrogen  sulphide  is  formed  in  connection  with  the  decay  of 
eggs.  In  this  case  the  albumen  of  the  egg,  according  to  Ostwald, 
contains  the  sulphur.f  HkS  is  also  found  escaping  from  sewer 
drains  and  cesspools,  and  is  formed,  during  the  decomposition, 
both  of  animal  and  vegetable  substances.  The  H2S  occurring  in 
shallow  springs  from  marsh  lands  is,  doubtless,  supplied  largely 
from  organic  material. 

The  sulphur  in  soils  is,  probably,  often  present  as  sulphates. 
Thorpe  states  that  the  decay  of  organic  matter  in  contact  with 
sulphates  results  in  the  formation  of  H2S4  The  reaction  in  this 
case,  probably,  results  from  reducing  properties  of  decaying 
organic  matter,  the  sulphates  being  first  reduced  to  sulphides, 
according  to  the  following  reaction:  Na2  S  O4+C2  (carbon  of 
organic  matter)  =2CC)2-|-Na2S.  The  sulphide  is  then  acted  upon 
by  the  carbonic  acid  to  form  PfoS  as  follows :  Na2S-f-H2COs= 
H2S-)-Na2CO3.  The  reaction  of  organic  matter  upon  the  sulphides 
is  regarded,  by  Van  Hise,  as  another  important  source  of  H2S  in 
underground  water.* 

The  formation  of  hydrogen  sulphide,  as  a  result  of  the  action 
of  acids  upon  metallic  sulphides,  is  one  of  the  most  familiar  of 
laboratory  experiments.  This  suggests  the  possibility  of  the 
formation  of  this  gas,  as  the  result  of  the  action  of  acids  upon 
metallic  sulphides,  contained  in  the  rocks.  Sulphides,  especially 
those  of  iron,  are  widely  scattered  in  the  earth's  crust,  and  occur 
in  sufficient  quantity  to  account  for  the  formation  of  H2S  gas  in 
water.  Hydrogen  sulphide  is  a  weak  acid,  and  its  salts  are  de- 
composed by  a  stronger  acid.  Sulphuric  and  other  mineral  acids 
should  certainly  react  upon  sulphides  liberating  H2$.  Carbonic 
acid,  when  abundant,  reacts  upon  alkali  sulphides  to  produce 
hydrogen  sulphide.  It  is  true  that  the  alkali  sulphides  are 
normally  not  abundant  in  the  crust  of  the  earth.  Stokes  has 
shown,  however,  that  the  reaction  of  sodium  carbonate  within  the 


*Bulletin  43,  Florida  State  Experiment  Station,  pp.  653,  657,  659,  1897. 
fOstwald,  Principles  of  Inorganic  Chemistry,  page  274,  1904. 
^Dictionary  of  Chemistry,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  697,  1900. 

*A  Treatise  on   Metamorphism,   Mon.  XLVII  U.    S.   Geol.    Surv.,   p. 
1112,  1904. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        137 

earth,  upon  pyrite  or  marcasite,  produces  sodium  sulphide.     The 
reaction  given  by  him  is  as  follows  :     (L.  C.  page  1107.) 


It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  carbon  dioxide,  which  unites 
with  water  to  form  carbonic  acid,  is  abundant  in  the  deep  waters, 
especially  in  the  limestone  formations  ;  the  pressure  existing  at 
considerable  depth  enabling  the  water  to  hold  great  quantities  of 
carbonic  acid.  The  series  of  reactions  given  by  Stokes  accounts 
for  the  presence  of  alkali  sulphides  in  solution  in  the  deep  waters. 
It  may  be  added  that  all  sulphides  are  soluble,  to  some  extent,  in 
water  and,  in  that  condition,  may  be  acted  upon  by  carbonic  acid.f 

The  partial  oxidation  of  sulphides  is,  according  to  Van  Hise, 
a  possible  additional  method  of  formation  of  hydrogen  sulphide, 
the  reaction  being  as  follows:  (L.  C.  p.  1113.) 


The  oxidizing  processes  are  the  most  rapid  near  the  surface, 
especially  above  the  underground  water  level,  and  tfcS  derived 
from  this  source,  probably,  supplies  relatively  shallow  rather  than 
deep  waters. 

The  formation  of  IHfoS  by  steam  passing  over  sulphur,  which 
occurs  in  connection  with  volcanoes,  may  be  dismissed  in  consider- 
ing the  sulphur  waters  of  Florida,  since  Florida  has  no  volcanoes 
and  no  indications  of  volcanic  activity. 

SULPHUR  WATER  NOT  EVIDENCE  OF  BEDS  OF  SULPHUR. 

There  is  a  widespread  belief  that  the  presence  of  sulphur  water 
must  necessarily  indicate  the  existence  of  beds  of  the  mineral 
sulphur.  This  conclusion  does  not  follow.  The  probable  sources 
of  the  sulphur  in  sulphur  waters,  as  indicated  above,  is  organic 
matter,  together  with  metallic  sulphates  and  sulphides  scattered 
through  sedimentary  rocks. 


flnorganic    Chemistry.      International    Library   of    Technology.      Sec. 
12,  p.  11. 


138  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

SULPHUR  DEPOSITS  FORMED  FROM  HYDROGEN  SULPHIDE. 

As  stated  in  the  last  paragraph,  sulphur  waters  are  not  to  be 
regarded  as  resulting  from  beds  of  pure  sulphur.  On  the  con- 
trary, it  is  probably  true  that  these  waters  may,  in  some  instances, 
result  in  the  formation  of  such  deposits.  Hydrogen  sulphide, 
when  acted  upon  in  the  water  by  oxygen,  breaks  up,  forming 
water  and  sulphur;  the  reaction  being  H2S-)-O=H2O-|-S.  It  is 
thus  possible  that  EkS  in  the  underground  water,  or  escaping 
from  the  underground  water,  may  become  disassociated,  forming 
deposits  of  pure  sulphur.  Such  deposits  of  economic  value  have 
not  been  reported  in  Florida.  It  is  a  noteworthy  fact,  however, 
that  one  large  mass  of  sulphur  has  been  found  underneath  phos- 
phate beds  in  Citrus  County.*  The  formation  of  this  mass  of 
sulphur  is  probably  due  to  hydrogen  sulphide.  A  flocculetit  white 
coating  of  sulphur,  or  a  sulphur  compound  invariably  forms 
around  sulphur  springs  and  flowing  sulphur  wells. 

ABSENCE  OF  HYDROGEN  SULPHIDE  FROM  CERTAIN  WATERS 
IN  FLORIDA. 

The  absence  of  hydrogen  sulphide  from  the  first  water  obtained 
from  areas  in  which  the  open  porous  limestone  is  the  surface 
formation,  has  already  been  stated.  It  is  a  well-known  fact  that 
if  sulphur  water  is  allowed  to  stand  in  the  open  air  the  gas  will 
escape.  This  method  of  freeing  water  from  an  excess  of  PfcS  gas 
is  a  common  practice  wherever  sulphur  water  is  used  for  domestic 
purposes.  Wherever  porous  limestone  lies  at  or  near  the  surface 
the  sulphur  gas,  which  the  water  may  have  contained,  will  find  a 
ready  means  of  escape.  In  other  parts  of  the  State,  where 
compact  and  impervious  formations  rest  upon  the  limestone,  the 
gas  is  prevented  from  escaping  and  sulphur  water  is  obtained. 


*Florida  Geological  Survey,  First  Annual  Report,  p.  44,  1908. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        139 

AMOUNT  OF  HYDROGEN  SULPHIDE  INFLUENCED  BY 
PRESSURE. 

The  quantity  of  £[28  gas,  which  the  water  is  able  to  hold  in 
solution  under  these  conditions,  is  determined  by  the  pressure. 
The  law  of  the  solubility  of  gases  in  liquids  is  as  follows :  The 
quantity  of  the  gas  which  the  liquid  is  able  to  dissolve  is  directly 
proportional  to  the  pressure  on  the  gas.  In  the  open,  porous 
limestone  with  no  confining  stratum  above,  the  water  at  the  top 
of  the  underground  water  level  is  merely  under  atmospheric 
pressure.  After  passing  the  underground  water  level,  however,  the 
pressure  increases  rapidly.  The  increase  of  pressure  is  not  simply 
that  due  to  the  atmosphere,  but  that  due  to  the  weight  of  the 
overlying  column  of  water  plus  the  atmosphere.  According  to 
Van  Hise  :*  "The  pressure,  which  really  is  determinative  as  to 
the  amount  of  gas  which  may  be  held  in  solution,  is  that  of  a 
column  of  water  extending  to  the  free  surface,  plus  the  atmos- 
pheric pressure."  From  this  law  it  follows  that  water,  at  a  great 
depth  and  under  great  pressure,  is  capable  of  holding  a  large 
quantity  of  hydrogen  sulphide  in  solution.  When  brought  to  the 
surface  the  pressure  is  relieved  and  the  gas  rapidly  escapes.  The 
artesian  waters,  in  the  flowing  areas  of  the  State,  are  under  con- 
siderable pressure,  thus  enabling  them  to  hold  a  large  quantity  of 
hydrogen  sulphide  as  well  as  a  high  proportion  of  mineral  solids 
in  solution. 

In  order  that  the  deep  waters  may  hold  large  quantities  of 
H2S  in  solution,  it  is  necessary  that  the  gas  be  available.  This 
implies  that  the  gas  in  the  artesian  and  other  deep  waters 
originates  at  some  considerable  depth  rather  than  at  or  near  the 
surface. 

ARTESIAN  WATER. 

The  term  "artesian"  has  been  variously  used  by  different 
writers.  Flowing  wells  first  became  well  known  in  the  province 
of  Artios,  France,  and  hence  were  called  "artesian  wells,"  and 


c.,  page  70. 


140  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

their  water  "artesian  water."  The  first  meaning  of  "artesian 
well"  was,  therefore,  a  flowing  well ;  and  of  "artesian  water," 
water  under  sufficient  pressure  to  cause  it  to  flow.  With  the 
extension  into  other  areas  of  the  use  of  deep  wells  as  a  source  of 
water  supply,  many  instances  were  found  in  which  the  water, 
although  under  pressure  and  rising  almost  to  the  surface,  would 
not  flow.  In  some  cases  the  water  will  flow  in  areas  of  low 
surface  elevation,  and  yet  fail  to  flow  in  a  slightly  elevated  area 
nearby.  Artesian  water  thus  came  to  mean-  water  under  pressure, 
causing  it  to  rise  in  a  boring  when  tapped,  regardless  of  whether 
or  not  the  pressure  was  sufficient  to  cause  the  water  to  rise  above 
the  surface  level,  and  hence  to  flow.  In  the  same  way,  and  for 
similar  reasons,  the  term  "artesian  well"  came  to  include  not 
only  flowing  wells,  but  also  wells  in  which  the  water  rises  when 
the  water-bearing  stratum  is  tapped,  regardless  of  whether  or 
not  the  rise  is  sufficient  to  cause  a  flow.  Occasionally,  in  popular 
usage,  the  term  "artesian  well"  has  been  applied  to  any  deep  bor- 
ing, and  "artesian  water"  to  water  from  such  a  well.  In  this 
report  the  term  artesian  is  applied  to  water  under  pressure,  and 
hence  rising  in  a  boring  when  tapped.  The  water  may,  or  may 
not,  rise  to  or  above  the  surface.  An  "artesian  well"  is  any  wejl 
reaching  to  and  tapping  a  stratum  bearing  such  water ;  a  "flowing 
well"  is  an  "artesian  well"  that  gives  a  surface  flow.  Artesian 
pressure  is  the  pressure  causing  the  water  to  rise  in  the  boring 
when  tapped.  This  is  essentially  the  usage  of  these  terms  as 
adopted  by  the  Division  of  Hydrology  of  the  U.  S.  Geological 
Survey.* 

CONDITIONS  NECESSARY  TO  OBTAIN  ARTESIAN 
WATER. 

As  essentials  for  artesian  water,  it  is  necessary  to  have  (1) 
an  adequate  source  of  water,  and  (2)  the  proper  structural  condi- 
tions to  retain  the  water  under  hydrostatic  or  artesian  pressure. 
It  will  be  convenient  to  discuss  first  the  structural  conditions. 


*Water  Supply  and  Irrigation  Paper,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  No.  160. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        141 
ARTESIAN  BASIN. 

A  variety  of  conditions  in  the  arrangement  and  structure  of 
the  underlying  deposits  may  bring  about  artesian  pressure.  The 
simplest,  although  probably  not  the  most  common,  is  that  of  a 
basin-like  arrangement  of  successive  relatively  pervious  and 
impervious  strata.  This  typical  structure,  known  as  an  artesian 
basin,  is  shown  in  the  accompanying  diagram.  It  consists  of  a 
pervious  layer  (a),  out-cropping  at  the  surface  on  either  side  and 
sagging  at  the  middle,  above  which  is  an  impervious  or  water- 


Fig.  1. — Illustrating  Structure  of  an  Artesian  Basin. 

tight  confining  layer  (c),  and  below  which  is  also  an  impervious 
layer  (b).  Water  enters  the  pervious  layer  at  its  surface  ex- 
posures at  the  sides.  The  water  collecting  in  the  central  part  of 
the  basin  is  under  pressure  from  the  weight  of  the  additional 
water  entering  from  the  sides.  Therefore,  a  well  put  down  to 
the  water  stratum  in  any  part  of  the  basin  will  obtain  artesian 
water,  or  water  which  will  rise  in  the  boring.  The  rise  in  the 
boring  is  determined  by  the  elevation  of  the  in-take  area,  and  can 
in  no  case  rise  above  the  elevation  of  the  exposed  edges  of  the 
stratum.  As  a  matter  of  observation,  it  is  found  in  all  cases  to 
rise  not  quite  so  high  as  the  exposed  edge  of  the  stratum,  the  loss 
being  due  to  the  friction  of  movement  through  the  rock.  This 
loss  of  head  due  to  friction  necessarily  varies  with  the  texture 
of  the  stratum  through  which  it  passes,  the  passage  being  more 
free  through  the  coarse  material,  and  hence  meeting  with  less 
friction  than  through  fine.  Whether  or  not  wells  put  down  in 
the  basin  will  obtain  flowing  or  non-flowing  artesian  water, 
depends  upon  the  surface  elevation  of  the  mouth  of  the  well.  The 
diagram  illustrates  a  basin  in  which  flowing  artesian  wells  may 
be  obtained. 


!16i50 


142 


FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


ARTESIAN    SLOPE. 

The  basin  arrangement  of  strata  is  not  the  only  possible  struc- 
ture resulting  in  artesian  pressure.  The  same  result  may,  among 
other  ways,  be  brought  about  quite  effectively  by  an  inclined 
porous  stratum  wedging  out  between  two  impervious  strata.  This 
condition  is  illustrated  by  the  accompanying  simple  sketch,  in 
which  the  pervious  stratum  (a)  is  represented  as  pinching  out 
and  disappearing  between  impervious  strata.  A  pervious  stratum 
grading  into  an  impervious,  or  less  pervious  condition  resulting 


Fig.  2. — Illustrating  structures  that  may  prevail  in  an  artesian  slope; 
a.  a  pervious  water-bearing  stratum  which  pinches  out  between  impervious 
strata ;  b.  a  pervious  water-bearing  stratum  which  grades  into  a  less  pervi- 
ous stratum ;  c.  a  pervious  water-bearing  stratum  in  which  the  artesian 
pressure  is  due  merely  to  the  friction  of  water  moving  through  the  pores 
of  the  rock. 

in  artesian  pressure,  is  represented  by  (b)  of  the  same  drawing. 
These  conditions  are  often  met  with  in  the  strata  of  the  coastal 
plain.  Not  infrequently,  a  sandstone  formation  grades  off  shore 
into  a  finer  sandstone,  and  ultimately  into  a  shale.  This  condition 
comes  about  naturally  through  the  sorting  power  of  wrater  acting 
along  what  was  the  coastal  line  at  the  time  of  formation  of  the 
strata  under  consideration.  The  coarser  sand  particles  arc 
dropped  near  the  shore  and  form  the  sandstone;  the  finer  sand- 
grains,  together  with  more  or  less  clay,  are  carried  farther  out. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        143 

and  form  a  finer  grained  sandstone  grading  ultimately  into  a  clay. 
Similarly,  a  sandstone,  or  other  pervious  formation,  may  pinch 
out  as  a  result  of  the  thickening  of  a  shale  or  clay  bed.  The  term 
"artesian  slope"  has  been  applied  to  such  an  area  to  distinguish 
it  from  an  artesian  basin. 

The  friction  of  water  threading  its  way  long  distances 
through  the  pores  of  an  inclined  pervious  formation  may  result 
in  an  appreciable  artesian  pressure.  That  this  is  true,  may  be 
demonstrated  by  the  following  very  simple  experiment:  Fill  a 
tube  of  any  length  with  sand,  and  incline  at  a  convenient  angle. 
The  sand  of  the  tube  represents  the  pervious  water-bearing 
stratum ;  the  tube  itself,  the  impervious  confining  strata.  Let 
smaller  tubes  placed  vertically  be  welded  into  the  larger  tube. 
These  vertical  tubes  represent  bored  wells.  The  water  will  be 
found  to  rise  in  the  vertical  tubes,  exhibiting  an  appreciable 
artesian  pressure  due  to  the  friction  of  flow  through  the  sand. 

ARTESIAN  WATER  FROM  UNCONFINED  HORIZONTAL  BEDS. 

It  is,  doubtless,  possible  to  obtain  artesian  water  in  some  in- 
stances from  unconfined  horizontal  beds.  This  condition  is  illus- 


Fig.  3.— Illustrating  artesian  water  from  unconfined  horizontal  beds. 
The  pressure  in  this  case  is  due  to  the  friction  of  water  moving  through 
the  pores  of  the  rock. 

trated  by  the  following  sketch  taken  from  the  report  of  M.  L. 
Fuller.*  It  is  possible  that  some  of  the  small  local  flows  obtained 
in  the  lake  region  of  interior  Florida  are  due  to  similar  conditions. 

ARTESIAN  WATER  FROM  SOLUTION  PASSAGES. 

Solution  passages  through  limestones  undoubtedly  facilitate 
the  free  movement  of  water.  If  limestones  should  be  otherwise 


144 


FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


relatively  water  tight,  flows  might  still  be  obtained,  in  some 
instances,  from  water  conducted  through  the  cavities  in  the  lime- 
stone. Such  possible  conditions  are  illustrated  by  the  accompany- 
ing sketch,  also  taken  from  Mr.  Fuller's  paper.*  Several  other 
possible  structural  conditions  that  may  give  rise  to  artesian  flows 
are  described  and  illustrated  in  the  paper  referred  to.  Those 
illustrated  above,  however,  include  the  structural  conditions  which 
seem  likely  to  prevail  in  Florida. 


Fig.  4. — Sketch  illustrating  artesian  flow  obtained  from  solution  pass- 
ages in  the  limestone.  After  Fuller. 

SOURCE  OF  ARTESIAN  WATER  OF  FLORIDA. 

The  idea  is  rather  prevalent  that  the  artesian  waters  of  Florida 
are  in  no  sense  local  but  are  derived  from  the  Appalachian 
Mountains,  or  some  other  remote  inland  point.  This  is  an  error, 
which,  if  not  corrected,  may  prove  detrimental.  That  the  supply 
is  local  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  the  artesian  wells  of  the 
State  are  affected  by  local  rains.  Many  of  the  well  owners  have 
recognized  the  effect  of  local  rains  on  their  wells;  others  who 
have  observed  less  closely  recognize  no  such  variation.  That  the 
rainfall  is  sufficient  to  supply  the  large  quantities  obtained  has 
already  been  demonstrated. 

FORMATIONS  SUPPLYING  THE  ARTESIAN  WATER  OF 
EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA. 

As  explained  in  the  chapter  on  Geology,  the  principal  artesian 
reservoir  of  the  eastern  and  southern  part  of  Florida  is  the  Vicks- 


*U.   S.   Geological   Survey,  Bull.   319,  p.  39,   1908.     Summary  of  the 
Controlling  Factors  of  Artesian  Flows. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        145 

burg  group  of  limestones.  In  some  localities,  however,  forma- 
tions lying  above  the  Vicksburg  group  supply  a  flow,  although 
the  flow  from  these  more  shallow  formations  is  rarely  ever,  so 
strong  as  from  the  deeper  or  Vicksburg  limestones. 

DEPTH  OF  THE  ARTESIAN  WATER. 

The  depth  at  which  the  artesian  water  is  obtained  is  variable 
in  different  parts  of  the  area.  To  find  the  depth  for  any  particular 
locality,  it  will  be  necessary  to  refer  to  the  subsequent  chapters 
in  which  the  several  counties  are  treated  individually. 

COST  OF  WELLS. 

It  has  been  only  within  the  past  few  years  that  artesian  wells, 
have  begun  to  supplant  shallow,  open  dug  wells  in  the  rural  dis- 
tricts. One  cause  of  the  rapid  increase  of  artesian  wells  in  these 
districts  is  the  necessity  of  irrigation  in  order  to  safeguard  truck- 
ing and  general  crops  against  droughts.  Again,  from  a  health 
standpoint,  the  water  from  these  deeper  wells  is  less  liable  to 
contamination  than  is  the  water  from  the  shallower  or  surface 
wells. 

The  cost  of  an  artesian  well  depends  upon  the  depth  to  which 
it  is  necessary  to  drill,  the  size  of  the  well  desired,  the  amount  of 
casing  used  and  the  character  of  the  material  that  will  probably 
be  penetrated  in  drilling.  With  a  knowledge  of  the  nature  of  the 
underlying  formations  in  a  given  area  well  drillers  know  approxi- 
mately the  time  and  labor  it  will  take  to  complete  a  certain  size 
well.  In  such  an  instance  it  is  frequently  the  case  that  a  well  is 
completed  for  a  stipulated  amount,  regardless  of  the  depth.  It  is 
more  customary,  however,  to  let  a  contract  for  a  certain  size  well 
at  a  given  price  per  foot.  These  prices  vary  in  different  sections 
of  the  State,  but  on  the  average  two-inch  wells  are  sunk  for  from 
$1.00  to  $1.25  per  foot;  three-  and  four-inch  wells  from  $1.50  to 
$2.00  per  foot.  The  larger  wells  range  in  proportion,  a  ten-inch 
well  costing  about  $3.50  per  foot.  The  driller,  at  these  prices, 
furnishes  the  casing. 


146  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

INCREASED  FLOW  OF  ARTESIAN  WELLS  WITH  INCREASED 
DEPTH. 

As  a  rule,  the  amount  of  flow  or  yield  of  wells  in  Eastern 
Florida  increases  with  depth.  To  this  rule  there  are,  doubtless, 
exceptions,  since  the  amount  of  flow,  in  all  cases,  depends  upon 
the  variable  structure  of  the  rock  through  which  the  drill  passes. 
As  illustrations  of  increased  flow  with  increased  depth,  the  follow- 
ing may  be  cited  : 

In  the  new  city  well  at  Jacksonville,  well  No.  10  of  the  city 
water  supply,  the  first  flow  obtained  was  a  light  flow  of  5  gallons 
per  minute  at  a  depth  of  270  feet.  At  a  depth  of  498  feet  the 
flow  increased  to  112  gallons  per  minute.  Upon  reaching  the 
Vicksburg  Limestone,  at  a  depth  of  510  feet,  the  flow  increased 
to  200  gallons  per  minute.  The  flow  at  the  depth  of  635  feet  was 
found  to  be  500  gallons  per  minute.  At  900  feet  the  flow  was 
about  900  gallons  per  minute.  At  980  feet,  the  full  depth  of  the 
well,  the  flow  was  from  1,500  to  2,000  gallons  per  minute.  For 
the  detailed  measurements  of  flow  on  this  well  the  Survey  is 
indebted  to  the  drillers,  the  Hughes  Specialty  Well  Drilling  Com- 
pany of  Charleston,  South  Carolina. 

A  like  increase  of  flow  is  shown  by  the  Ponce  de  Leon  well  in 
St.  Johns  County,  the  measurements  of  which  were  kept,  and  have 
been  kindly  supplied  by  Messrs.  McGuire  and  McDonald,  con- 
tractors. The  first  flow  in  this  well  of  50  gallons  per  minute  was 
obtained  at  a  depth  of  170  feet.  At  177  feet  the  flow  increased  to 
350  gallons  per  minute.  At  410  feet  the  flow  was  2,083  gallons. 
At  520  feet  the  flow  had  increased  to  4,860  gallons.  At  1,110  feet 
the  flow  was  6,075  gallons.  The  well  was  continued  to  a  total 
depth  of  1,440  feet.  The  record  of  the  well,  however,  contains  no 
mention  of  increased  flow  below  1,110  feet.  While  exact  measure- 
ments, like  those  given  above,  are  seldom  made ;  the  drillers,  with 
few  exceptions,  report  increased  flow  with  increased  depth. 

INCREASED  HEAD  WITH  INCREASED  DEPTH. 

Not  only  does  the  amount  of  flow  of  the  water  in  this  section 
of  the  State  increase  with  increased  depth,  but  the  head  or  pres- 


WATER  SUPPLY  Ol?  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FI/DRIDA.        147 

sure,  or  height  above  the  ground  to  which  the  water  will  rise  like- 
wise increases.  The  head  is,  in  reality,  only  a  measure  of  the 
pressure.  The  amount  of  flow  is  within  limits  dependent  upon 
the  amount  of  pressure.  Other  conditions  remaining  the  same, 
an  increased  pressure  will  result  in  an  increased  flow.  For  the 
records  regarding  pressure,  it  is  necessary  to  rely  chiefly  upon  the 
Jacksonville  and  St.  Augustine  wells  already  referred  to. 

At  680  feet  the  pressure  of  the  artesian  water  in  the  Jackson- 
ville well  was  12  pounds  per  square  inch,  or  sufficient  pressure  to 
cause  the  water  to  rise  vertically  in  a  pipe  27.72  feet.  At  900  feet 
the  pressure,  as  shown  by  the  gauge,  was  15  pounds,  or  sufficient 
to  cause  the  water  to  rise  34.65  feet. 

The  Ponce  de  Leon  Hotel  well,  at  St.  Augustine,  affords  valu- 
able information  as  to  the  possibility  of  obtaining  increased  head, 
in  this  section  of  the  State,  by  drilling  to  greater  depths.  This 
well  was  drilled  to  a  total  depth  of  1,440  feet.  A  measure  of  the 
head  was  made  at  frequent  intervals  while  drilling.  The  first 
considerable  flow  obtained  at  St.  Augustine  is  under  a  pressure, 
causing  it  to  rise  about  32  feet  above  sea.  At  the  depth  of  350 
feet  the  head  was  found  to  have  increased  to  38  feet  above  sea. 
At  the  depth  of  520  feet  the  head  had  increased  to  42  feet,  a  total 
gain  of  10  feet.  The  head  at  greater  depths  than  520  feet  is  not 
specifically  recorded. 

INCREASED  TEMPERATURE  WITH  INCREASED  DEPTH. 

The  temperature  of  the  water  at  St.  Augustine  was  found  to  in- 
crease with  the  depth.  The  temperature  of  the  water  in  the  Ponce 
de  Leon  well,  at  the  depth  of  35  feet,  is  reported  as  62  degrees  F. 
At  approximately  100  feet  the  temperature  was  72  degrees  F.  At 
170  feet  the  temperature  was  74  degrees  F.  The  increased  flow 
obtained  at  177  feet  showed  a  temperature  of  76  degrees  F.  At 
520  feet  the  temperature  of  the  water  in  the  pipe  was  found  to  be 
79  degrees  F.  At  1,110  feet  the  temperature  was  80  degrees  F. 
Between  1,170  and  1,225  feet  the  water  taken  from  the  sand  pump 
showed  a  temperature  of  85  degrees  F.  Water  taken  from  the 
sand  pump,  between  1,340  and  1,390  feet,  showed  a  temperature 
of  86  degrees  F. 


118 


FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


This  record  of  the  Ponce  de  Leon  well,  at  St.  Augustine,  is 
supplemented  by  the  record  from  the  new  city  well  at  Jackson- 
ville. In  the  Jacksonville  well  the  following  temperatures  were 
recorded :  At  a  depth  of  498  feet,  the  temperature  of  the  water 
flowing  from  the  pipe  was  71  degrees  F.  At  635  feet  the  tempera- 
ture was  74  degrees  F.  At  900  feet  the  temperature  still  registered 
74  degrees  F.  These  measurements  made,  as  the  water  escapes 
from  the  pipe,  are  necessarily  approximate  measurements.  Not 
only  does  the  water  lose  in  temperature  in  moving  to  the  mouth 
of  the  pipe,  but  it  mingles  with  the  higher  and  colder  waters  enter- 
ing the  pipe,  which  necessarily  equalizes  the  temperature  of  the 
whole.  They  show,  however,  increase  of  temperature  with 
increase  of  depth. 

TABLE  SHOWING  PROGRESSIVE  LOSS 
RECORD  OF  JACKSONVILLE 


5 

.£ 

0 

f. 

I 

•s 

' 

Date  When  Completed 

Flow  of  Well  When 
Completed.  Gal- 
lons in  24  Hours. 

1886          1888 

1889 

1891 
May  30 

1892 

1893 

1894 

1895 

1 

4 
6 

7 

6 
12 
10 
10 

Nov.! 
1885        864,000 
Dec. 
1896     1.354,320 
April 
1901  i  2,095,639 

1904'       661,500 

864,000 

799,860 

568,073       309,096  ,     264,384 

243,000 

221,616 

200,232 





|  

2 
8 
5 

6 
10 
8 

Mch. 
1886     1  296  ,000 
Feb. 
1889     3,360,052 
April 
1899        590,676 

1,296,000  |  1,167,360       808,485 
j  3,360,652 

458,784 
1,995,840 

412,128 
1,829,952 

381,024 
1,752,192 

332,424 
1,440,152 

309,096 
1,347,840 

! 

- 

1  

1  

Total  F 
Loss  in 
Gain  by 

ow  2,160,000 
Flow 

1,967,040 
192,960 

4,737,210 
590,482 

2,763,720 
1,973,490 

2.506,464  !  2,376,216 
257,256  1     130,248 

1,994,192 
382,024 

1,857,168 
137,024 

New  Well  

WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  1'LORIDA.        149 


LOSS  OF  HEAD  AND  REDUCTION  IN  FLOW. 

Exact  measurements  of  loss  of  head  and  reduction  in  flow  in 
artesian  wells  are  usually  difficult  to  obtain.  In  the  case  of  the 
Jacksonville  city  water  supply,  fortunately,  measurements  of  flow 
have  been  taken  at  intervals  from  the  time  the  first  wells  were 
put  down  in  1885  to  the  present  time.  These  measurements  kept 
through  a  period  of  24  years  afford  records  of  especial  interest 
and  value.  The  following  table  of  flow  was  supplied  by  Capt. 
R.  N.  Ellis,  Superintendent  of  the  Jacksonville  city  water  supplv. 
Two  basins  are  used  to  receive  the  flow  known  as  the  north 
basin  and  the  south  basin.  The  wells  are  grouped  in  the  table 
according  to  the  basin  into  which  they  flow.  The  wells  arc 

OF  FLOW  OF  ARTESIAN  WELLS. 
CITY  WELLS,  1885-1904. 


1896 

1897          1898 

• 

ip'r'i     »»»      "<" 

i 

1902 
Jan. 

1902 
Nov.  29 

1903 

1904 
April  1 

1904 
Oct.  26 

188,568  / 
1,354,320) 

1,108,080       881,280 

208,640  ,     207,360      191,805  ) 
662,640       602,640     419,902) 
!  1  883  093  J 

2,287,440 

1,710,720 

1,710,720 

1,684,800    1,684,800 

Aug.  1 
601,500 

285,  693  1 
1,  093,456  j 

1,368,576    1,368,576 



1.322,220  (     l,829,947i  1,441,147 
590  676  j  '  

1,418,907 

1,368,576    1,368,576 

1,347,840 

1,099,080 

1 

1 

I  

2,922,037  2,476,656  2,249,876  j  2,784,176  ,  2,639.947  |  3,935,947  3,706,347 
289,451   445,381   226,800    56,356   144,529   587,093'   229,600 


3,079,296  3,079,296  3,032,640  3,385,380 
627,057  !   46,656   352,740 


1,064,869  534,320  1,296,000  j '   248,760 


150  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

numbered  chronologically  in  the  order  of  the  date  when  com- 
pleted. 

This  table  shows  conclusively  that,  although  the  rate  of  flow 
is  variable  for  different  wells  and  for  the  same  wells  at  different 
periods,  yet  in  this  group  of  wells  there  is  a  continuous  and 
progressive  loss  of  flow.  That  the  same  is  true  of  other  wells 
throughout  this  area,  there  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt.  Those 
who  give  no  special  attention  to  their  wells  suppose,  as  a  rule, 
that  the  flow  remains  unaffected  indefinitely.  Many  other  well 
owners,  however,  have  observed  this  loss  in  flow  with  succeed- 
ing years.  The  reduced  flow  is  best  observed  near  the  margin 
of  the  flowing  area  in  wells  located  on  somewhat  elevated  ground. 
Many  of  the  wells  from  which  the  water  will  flow  only  a  few 
feet  above  the  surface  when  first  drilled  may,  in  time,  cease  to 
flow.  In  these  cases  the  pressure  which  originally  caused  the 
flow  having  been  partly  relieved,  the  water  no  longer  rises  above 
the  surface  of  the  ground. 

Exhaustion  and  ultimate  failure  of  an  artesian  reservoir  is 
not  unknown.  It  is,  probably,  true  that,  in  nearly  all  artesian 
sections,  the  original  pressure  gradient  in  the  water-bearing  rock 
is  appreciably  lowered  by  the  drafts  made  upon  the  subterranean 
supply,  with  a  consequent  actual  decrease  in  the  capacity  of  the 
wells.  In  this  connection,  Professor  C.  S.  Slichter  states:*  "It 
must  be  kept  well  in  mind  that  there  is  a  limit  to  the  amount  of 
water  that  can  be  withdrawn  from  an  artesian  basin.  There  is 
no  such  thing  as  an  inexhaustible  supply  in  this  connection.  The 
amount  of  water  available  is  limited  on  the  one  hand  by  the 
amount  of  rainfall  upon  the  catchment  area,  and  the  facility  with 
which  the  rainfall  can  obtain  entrance  to  the  porous  stratum  and, 
on  the  other  hand,  by  the  capacity  of  the  water-bearing  rock  to 
transmit  the  water  over  long  distances  and  diminution  through 
leakage  and  seepage.  These  two  limiting  conditions  are  usually 
of  sufficient  magnitude  to  render  the  overdrawing  of  the  supply 
a  practical  and  present  danger,  which  should  be  constantly  kept 
in  mind." 

With  regard  to  the  artesian  basin  at  Denver,  Colorado,  the 

*U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.,  Water  Supply  Paper,  No.  67,  p.  94,  95,  1902. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OP  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        151 

failure  of  which  was  unusually  rapid,  Slichter  says :  "This  basin 
was  discovered  in  1884,  and  in  a  few  years  about  400  wells  had 
been  drilled  within  an  area  extending  a  distance  of  40  miles, 
along  South  Platte  River,  in  a  strip  about  5  miles  wide  on  both 
sides  of  the  stream.  Most  of  the  wells  were  within  the  limits 
of  the  city  itself.  Many  of  the  wells  had  a  good  pressure  and 
strong  flow  when  first  constructed.  In  1886  it  was  not  thought 
that  any  general  decrease  in  the  flow  of  the  wells  could  be 
detected.  Between  1888  and  1890,  however,  a  continuous  decrease 
in  the  flow  of  the  city  wells  took  place,  and  by  the  end  of  the 
latter  year  all  but  six  of  the  city  wells  had  to  be  pumped,  while 
numerous  wells  in  the  basin  were  permanently  abandoned." 

CAUSE  OF  THE  LOSS  OF  FLOW. 

The  loss  of  flow  may  be  due  to  several  causes.  It  is  frequently 
the  case  that  the  life  of  an  artesian  well  is  limited.  The  escape 
of  water  through  the  well  relieves  the  pressure,  which  results  in 
a  reduced  flow.  In  some  instances,  pressure  has  so  far  been 
relieved  that  wells  have  ceased  to  flow  entirely.  This  may  be 
regarded  as  a  natural  and  unavoidable  loss  of  flow. 

The  second  cause  of  reduced  flow,  which  may  have  affected 
the  Jacksonville  and  other  wells,  is  interference  of  wells.  Num- 
erous instances  are  on  record  where  one  artesian  well  has 
affected  surrounding  wells. 

A  third  possible  cause  is  clogging  of  the  wells  through 
accumulation  of  sand  or  other  material  in  the  pipes,  or  in  the 
formations  through  which  the  water  comes.  In  addition  to  the 
accumulation  of  sand,  it  is  not  impossible  that  the  porosity  of  the 
formation  immediately  around  the  well  may  have  been  more  or 
less  affected  by  chemical  deposition  since  the  well  was  drilled.  It 
seems  probable,  however,  that  the  clogging  of  the  pores  of  the 
rock  is  more  likely  to  be  caused  by  material  mechanically  trans- 
ported than  by  chemical  deposition. 

Improper  casing  is  likewise  a  frequent  cause  of  failure.  It  is 
frequently  the  case  that  an  insufficient  length  of  casing  is  used  in 
the  well.  In  such  cases  the  sand  gains  entrance,  or  the  well 


152  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

caves  below  the  casing,  clogging  or  partly  clogging  the  opening, 
thereby  reducing  or  entirely  stopping  the  flow. 

NECESSITY  OF  GUARDING  AGAINST  WASTE  OF  ARTESIAN 
WATER. 

The  records  that  have  been  given  above  indicate  clearly  that 
useless  waste  of  water  should  not  be  permitted.  An  artesian  well 
draws  not  on  an  inexhaustible  supply  of  water  from  some  remote 
source,  but  draws  upon  a  relatively  local  supply  which  is  appreci- 
ably affected  by  continued  use.  A  well  permitted  to  flow  uninter- 
ruptedly draws  not  only  on  the  supply  of  the  land  on  which  it  is 
located,  but  affects  also  the  supply  of  the  adjacent  land.  A  State, 
a  community,  or  an  individual  that  permits  the  useless  and  reck- 
less waste  of  artesian  water  will  ultimately  find  a  most  valuable 
asset  impaired  by  extravagance,  and  possibly  no  longer  adequate. 

It  is  urged  by  some  well  owners  that  to  cut  off  a  well,  or  to 
stop  the  flow  when  not  in  use  is  unsafe  as  sand  or  other  material 
may  get  into  and  clog  the  well.  The  flow  of  the  well  can  be 
reduced  to  one-third  or  one-fourth  its  normal  volume  and  the 
danger  from  the  accumulation  of  sand,  when  there  is  such  danger, 
guarded  against.  Moreover,  where  wells  are  cayed,  as  they 
should  be  to  the  Vicksburg  Limestone,  it  is  doubtful  if  there  is 
danger  of  clogging  and  reducing  or  stopping  the  flow.  A  law 
restricting  the  waste  of  artesian  water  is  urgently  recommended. 

SIMPLE  METHOD  OF  DETERMINING  FLOW  OF  ARTESIAN 
WELLS. 

A  simple  method  for  measuring  approximately  the  flow  from 
an  artesian  well  has  been  devised  by  Professor  J.  E.  Todd, 
formerly  State  Geologist  of  South  Dakota.  The  following  is 
Professor  Todd's  method  in  full : 

"It  is  often  desirable  to  know  the  amount  of  water  delivered 
by  an  artesian  well. .  Frequently  a  contract  calls  for  a  certain 
amount.  It  is  also  well  to  know  whether  the  flow  is  diminishing 
and  how  much. 

"When  a  well  is  small,  its  flow  may  be  measured  easily  with 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        153 

a  watch  and  a  gallon  measure,  or  a  keg-  or  a  barrel  of  known 
capacity,  but  for  wells  flowing  over  twenty  or  thirty  gallons  a 
minute,  it  is  not  so  easy  to  determine  with  accuracy. 

"If  the  well  is  large  it  may  be  measured  with  a  weir,  but  that 
is  constructed  only  with  considerable  trouble.  If  the  water  runs 
in  a  sluice  or  ditch  of  uniform  width,  its  cross  section  may  be 
estimated  and  its  velocity  taken.  This  method,  however,  is  not 
very  accurate.  The  following  are  methods  which  give  fairly 
accurate  results  with  little  trouble  and  in  short  lime.  All  that  is 
necessary  for  the  purpose  is  that  the  water  be  discharged  through 
a  pipe  of  uniform  diameter,  a  foot  rule,  still  air,  and  care  in  taking 
measurements. 

"Two  methods  are  proposed,  one  for  pipes  discharging 
vertically,  which  is  particularly  applicable  before  the  well  is 
permanently  finished,  and  one  for  horizontal  discharge,  which  is 
the  most  frequent  way  of  finishing  a  well.  For  the  measuring"a 
vertical  flow  we  have  extended  a  method  which  was  first  used 
by  Air.  P.  E.  Manchester,  C.  E.,  of  Chamberlain,  who  published 
a  table  adapted  to  large  wells,  in  the  Chamberlain  Register, 
December,  1895. 

"The  table  below  is  adapted  to  wells  of  moderate  size  as  well 
as  to  larger.  In  case  a  well  is  found  of  other  diameter  than  that 
given  in  the  table,  its  discharge  may  be  obtained  without  much 
difficulty  from  the  table  by  remembering  that  other  things  being 
equal  the  discharge  varies  as  the  square  of  the  diameter  of  the 
pipe.  If,  for  example,  the  pipe  is  one-half  inch  in  diameter  its 
discharge  will  be  one-fourth  of  that  of  a  pipe  one  inch  in  diameter, 
whose  stream  reaches  the  same  height,  so  also  a  pipe  eight  inches 
in  diameter  may  be  obtained  by  multiplying  that  of  the  four-inch 
pipe  by  four. 

"In  the  first  case  the  inside  diameter  of  the  pipe  may  be 
measured,  then  the  distance  from  the  end  of  the  pipe  to  the 
highest  point  of  the  dome  of  water  above,  in  a  strictly  vertical 
direction — a  to  b  in  the  diagram.  Then  these  distances  may  be 
found  in  the  table  and  the  corresponding  figure  will  give  the  num- 
ber of  gallons  discharged  per  minute.  The  blowing  of  the  wind 


154 


FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


need  not  interfere  in  this  case  as  long  as  the  measurements  are 
taken  vertically. 

"The  method  for  determining  the  discharge  of  horizontal 
pipes  requires  a  little  more  care.  First,  measure  the  diameter  of 
the  pipe  as  before,  then  the  vertical  distance  from  the  middle  of 
the  opening  of  the  pipe,  or  some  convenient  point  corresponding 
to  it  on  the  side  of  the  pipe,  vertically  downward  six  inches — a  lo 


2 — ^^ — SS 


Fig.  5. — Illustrating  method  of  measuring  the  flow  of  an  artesian  well 
from  horizontal  and  vertical  pipes.  After  Todd. 

b,  then  from  this  point  strictly  horizontally  to  the  center  of  the 
stream —  b  to  e.  With  these  data,  the  flow  in  gallons  per  minute 
may  be  obtained  from  the  table.  It  will  be  readily  seen  that  a 
slight  error  may  make  much  difference  in  the  discharge.  Care 
must  be  taken  to  measure  horizontally  and  also  to  the  middle  of 
the  stream. 

"Because  of  this  difficulty,  it  is  desirable  to  check  the  first 
determination  by  a  second.  For  this  purpose,  columns  are  given 
in  the  tables  for  corresponding  measurements  twelve  inches  below 
the  center  of  the  pipe.  Of  course,  the  discharge  from  the  same 
pipe  must  be  the  same  in  measurements  of  the  same  stream.  In 
this  case,  the  occurrence  of  wind,  blowing  either  with  or  against 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        155 


the  water,  may  vitiate  results  to  an  indefinite  amount,  therefore 
measurements  should  be  taken  while  the  air  is  still. 

"The  flow  of  pipes  of  diameters  not  given  in  the  Table  II, 
may  be  easily  obtained  for  corresponding  measurements,  as 
follows :  For  ^  inch,  multiply  discharge  of  1-inch  pipe  by  .25 ; 
for  ^4-inch,  by  .56;  for  1%-inch,  by  1.50;  for  1^-inch,  by  2.25. 
For  3-inch,  multiply  2-inch  pipe  by  2.25 ;  for  4-inch,  by  4 ;  for  5- 
inch,  by  6.25 ;  for  6-inch,  by  9 ;  for  8-inch,  by  16. 

TABLES  FOR  DETERMINING  YIELD  OF  ARTESIAN  WELLS. 


I.     Flow  from  Vertical  Pipes 

II.     Flow  from  Horizontal  Pipes 

a>           Discharge     in     Gallons     per 
*•»        Minute  from  Respective  Pipes 
"o        of  Diameter   given   in    Inches. 

1 

Flow  in  Gallons  per  Minute 
for   Pipes. 

I         1         ,* 

iy2 

2 

3 

|.s 

1  inch  in  Diam. 

2  inch  in  Diam. 

a 

«  be 

% 

In. 
% 

3.96|       6.2 
5.601       8.7 

8.91 
M2.6 

15.8 
22.4 

30.6 
51.4 

II 

6  in. 
level. 

12  in. 

level. 

6  in. 
level. 

12  in. 
level. 

2|       7.99|     12.5 

18.0 

32.0 

71.9 

3        9.811     15.3 

39.2 

88.3 

In. 

41     11.331     17.7 

25'.5 

45.3 

102.0 

6 

7.01           4.95 

27.71 

19.63 

12.68|     19.8 

28.5 

50.7 

113.8 

7 

8.18            5.77 

32.33 

22.90 

6 

13.881     21.7 

31.2 

55.5 

124.9 

8 

9.35           6.60 

36.94 

26.18 

7 

14.96|     23.6 

33.7 

59.8 

134.9 

10.51            7.42 

41.56 

29.45 

8 

16.00]     25.1 

36.0 

64.0 

144.1 

It 

11.68           8.25 

46.18 

32.72 

9 

17.01J     26.0 

38.3 

68.0 

153.1 

11 

12.85            9.08 

50.80 

35.99 

10 

17.93 

28.1 

40.3 

71.6 

161.3 

12      14.02            9.91 

55.42 

39.26 

11 

18.80 

29.5 

42.3 

75.2 

169.3 

13  1     15.19          10.73 

60.03 

42.51 

12 

19.65 

30.7 

44.2 

78.6 

176.9 

14|     16.36          11.56 

64.65 

45.81 

13 

20.46|     31.8 

45.9 

81.8 

184.1 

15|     17.53          12.38 

69.27 

49.08 

14 

21.22|     33.0 

47.6 

84.9 

190.9 

16      18.70          13.21 

73.89 

52.35 

15 

21.95 

34.2 

49.3 

87.8 

197.5 

17|     19.87          14.04 

78.51 

55.62 

16 

22.67 

35.2 

50.9 

90.7 

203.9 

18|     21.04          14.86 

83.12 

58.90 

17 

23.37 

36.3 

52.5 

93.5 

210.3 

19      22.21 

15.69 

87.74 

62.17 

18 

24.06 

37.5 

54.1 

96.2 

216.5 

20      23.37 

16.51 

92.36 

65.44 

19 

24.72 

38.6 

55.6 

98.9 

222.5 

21  i     24.54 

17.34 

96.98 

68.71 

20 

25.37 

39.6 

57.0 

101.6 

22S.'5 

25.71 

18.17 

101.60 

71.98 

21 

26.02 

40.6 

58.4 

104.2 

234.3 

23 

26.88 

18.99 

106.21 

75.26 

22 

26.66 

41.6 

59.9 

106.7 

240.0 

24 

28.04 

19.82 

110.83 

78.53 

23 

27.28 

42:6 

61.4 

109.2 

245.6 

25 

29.11 

20.64 

115.45 

81.80 

24 

27.90 

43.5 

62.8 

111.6 

251.1 

26 

30.38 

21.47 

120.07 

85.07 

25 

28.49 

44.4 

64.1 

114.0 

256.4 

27 

31.55 

22.29 

124.69 

88.34 

26 

29.05 

45.3 

65.3 

116.2 

261.4 

28 

32.72 

23.12 

129.30 

91.62 

27 

29.59      46.1 

66.4 

118.2  |  266.1 

29|     33.89 

23.95 

133.92 

94.89 

28 

30.081     46.9 

67.5 

120.3  |  270.4 

30|     35.06 

24.77 

138.54 

98.16 

29 

30.55|     47.5 

68.5 

121.9 

274.1 

31 

36.23 

25.59 

143.16 

101.43 

30 

30.94 

48.2 

69.4 

123.4 

277.6 

37.40 

.26.42 

147.78 

104.70 

36 

34.1 

53.2 

76.7 

136.3 

306.6 

33 

38.57 

27.25 

152.39 

107.98 

48 

39.1 

61.0 

88.0 

156.5 

352.1 

34 

39.64 

28.08 

157.01 

111.25 

60 

43.8 

68.4 

98.6 

175.2 

394.3 

35 

40.45 

28.64 

161.63 

114.52 

72 

48.2 

75.2 

108.0 

192.9 

434.0 

36 

41.60 

59.46 

166.25 

117.19 

84 

51.9 

81.0 

116.8 

207.6 

467.0 

96 

55.6 

86.7 

125.0 

222.2 

500.0 

Continue 

by  addii 

g  for  eac 

a  Inch: 

108 

58.9 

92.0 

132.6 

235.9 

530.8 

120 

62.2 

98.0 

139.9 

248.7 

559.5 

1.15 

.82 

4.62 

3.27 

1321     65.1 

102.6 

146.5 

260.4 

5S5.9 

144|     68.0 

100.4 

153.1 

272.2 

612.5 

1 

156  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

"In  both  these  tables  it  has  not  been  thougnt  necessary  to 
make  any  allowance  for  the  resistance  of  the  atmosphere.  Doubt- 
less, when  the  velocity  of  the  stream  is  great,  the  resistance  is 
considerable;  but  as  the  pressure  checks  the  flow,  and  our  object 
is  simply  to  measure  the  amount  of  flow,  it  need  not  be  taken 
into  consideration.  In  case  pipes  are  found  of  diameters  not 
corresponding  to  the  table,  the  same  rule  may  be  applied  as  in 
the  first  case. 

"Whenever  fractions  occur  in  the  height  or  horizontal  distance 
of  the  stream,  the  number  of  gallons  may  be  obtained  by  dividing 
the  difference  between  the  readings  in  the  table  for  the  nearest 
whole  numbers,  according  to  the  size  of  the  fraction.  For 
example,  if  the  distance  from  the  top  of  the  pipe  to  the  top  of 
the  stream,  in  the  first  case,  is  nine  and  one-third  inches,  one-third 
of  the  difference  between  the  readings  in  the  table  for  nine  and 
ten  inches  must  be  added  to  the  former  to  give  the  right  result. 
In  case  one  measures  the  flow  of  his  well  according  to  both 
methods,  he  may  think  that  they  should  correspond,  but  such  is 
not  the  case.  In  the  vertical  discharge,  as  there  is  less  friction, 
the  flow  will  be  larger,  so  also  difference  will  be  found  according 
to  the  length  of  horizontal  pipe  used  in  the  second  case.  The 
longer  the  pipe,  the  more  friction  and  less  the  flow. 

"As  pipes  are  occasionally  at  an  angle,  it  is  well  to  know  that 
the  second  method  may  be  applied  to  them,  if  the  first  measure- 
ment is  taken  strictly  vertically  from  the  center  of  the  opening, 
and  the  second  from  that  point  tarallel  with  the  axis  of  the  pipe 
to  the  center  of  the  stream  as  before.  The  measurements  may 
then  be  read  from  the  table  as  before. 

"This  method  is  also  applicable  to  measuring  the  discharges 
of  different  pipes  when  water  is  distributed  about  a  farm  or  in 
a  cky. 

"Pipes  which  have  been  cut  in  the  usual  way  are  frequently 
diminished  in  diameter  by  the  incurving  of  the  edge  of  the  pipe. 
This  will  diminish  the  flow,  but  how  much  can  only  be  roughly 
estimated.  It  will  be  greater  than  that  of  a  straight  pipe  having- 
the  exact  diameter  of  the  opening  as  reduced." 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.         157 

THE  AREAS  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW  IN  FLORIDA. 

The  accompanying  map  indicates,  in  a  general  way,  the  flow- 
ing and  non-flowing  areas  of  the  State.  In  using  such  general 
maps  it  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  artesian  water  depends 
primarily  upon  the  structure  of  the  underlying  formations,  and 
these  are  subject  to  variations  of  which  there  may  be  no  surface 
indications.  Moreover,  local  elevations  which  affect  flow  can  not 
be  indicated  on  a  small  scale  map.  Thus  while  the  map  indicates 
approximately  the  limits  of  flow,  the  exact  limits  can  be  deter- 
mined in  most  cases  only  by  drilling. 

The  shading  on  the  map  indicates  those  parts  of  the  State  in 
which  flowing  wells  have  been  obtained,  or  may  be  expected. 
There  are,  as  will  be  seen,  three  principal  areas  of  flow  as  follows  r 
the  Atlantic  Coast  area,  the  Southern  Gulf  Coast  area  and  the 
Western  Gulf  Coast  area. 

THE  ATLANTIC  COAST  AREA. 

The  Atlantic  Coast  area  includes  much  of  Nassau  and  Duval 
Counties,  and,  with  the  exception  of  local  elevated  areas,  all  of 
St.  Johns  County ;  it  follows  the  valley  of  the  St.  Johns  River 
almost  if  not  quite  to  the  head  waters,  while  a  narrow  strip  reaches 
south  along  the  Atlantic  Coast  for  250  to  300  miles.  The  artesian 
water-bearing  formation  dips  in  passing  to  the  south,  being 
reached  at  Palm  Beach  at  the  depth  of  about  1,000  feet.  In  addi- 
tion to  its  increased  depth  the  water  at  Palm  Beach  was  found  to 
be  too  salty  to  be  used  for  household  purposes.  Between  Palm 
Beach  and  Key  West  no  wells  have  been  drilled  deep  enough  to 
reach  this  formation.  The  deep  well  drilled  on  Key  Vaca  by  the 
Florida  East  Coast  Railway  terminated  at  700  feet  in  quartz  sands, 
with  sandstones  and  clay  in  streaks,  not  having  reached  the  Vicks- 
burg  Limestone.* 

At  Key  West  two  wells  have  been  drilled  to  the  Vicksburg, 
which  is  reached  at  that  locality  at  a  depth  of  about  700  feet. 

The  first  of  these  wells,  drilled  in  1895,  is  reported  to  havi 


'Florida  Geol.  Survey,  Second  Annual  Report,  p.  205,  1909. 


158  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

reached  a  depth  of  2,000  feet.  The  well  was  non-flowing  and  the 
water  salty.  No  adequate  record  of  this  well  was  kept,  and  it  is 
not  known  to  what  depth  the  well  was  cased,  nor  whether  or  not 
there  was  any  attempt  made  to  drill  beyond  and  case  off  the  salty 
water.  The  second  well  was  drilled,  in  1909-10,  by  S.  O.  Johnson 
and  reached  a  total  depth  of  1010  feet.  This  well  is  cased  about 
150  feet.  It  is  non-flowing  and  salty.  Two  samples  of  water 
from  this  well  have  been  received  from  Mr.  Johnson.  One  is 
said  to  have  been  taken  from  the  water  near  the  top  of  the  well : 
the  other  from  near  the  bottom  of  the  well.  The  first  of  these 
samples  contains  chlorine  2,340  parts  per  million  parts  water.  The 
sample  said  to  have  come  from  the  bottom  of  the  well  contains 
1358  parts  chlorine  per  million  parts  water. 

THE  SOUTHERN  GULF  COAST  AREA. 

Flowing  wells  have  been  obtained  in  areas  of  low  elevation 
at  Tampa,  St.  Petersburg  and  elsewhere,  along  the  Gulf  Coast 
for  some  distance  north  of  St.  Petersburg.  It  is  only  near  the 
sea  level  in  this  northward  extent  of  the  area  that  a  flow  is  to  bo 
expected.  In  Manatee  County,  along  the  Manatee  River,  strong 
flowing  wells  have  been  obtained ;  some  of  them  having  a  pressure 
of  eight  or  more  pounds.  The  wells  in  this  county  are  used 
extensively  for  irrigation.  In  DeSoto  County  flowing  wells  occur 
at  Punta  Gorda,  and  along  Peace  Creek  into  Polk  County.  Some 
of  the  wells  at  Punta  Gorda  have  a  head  of  about  fifty  feet.  In 
Lee  County  flowing  wells  have  been  obtained  at  Ft.  Myers,  along 
the  Caloosahatchee  River  to  Labelle,  and  in  the  interior  southeast 
of  Ft.  Myers.  In  the  well  of  A.  P.  Miller,  of  Ft.  Myers,  having 
a  depth  of  535  feet  the  water  was  found  to  be  under  a  pressure 
of  17  pounds,  giving  it  a  head  of  39  feet  above  the  surface.  The 
southward  extent  of  this  flowing  area  has  not  been  determined. 
Approaching  the  southern  limit  the  amount  of  salt  in  the  water 
increases,  certain  of  the  wells  toward  the  southern  part  of  Lee 
County  becoming  too  salty  for  use.  The  Vicksburg  Limestone  is 
probably  the  water  bearing  formation  in  Southern  as  in  Eastern 
Florida. 

Whether  or  not  flowing  wells  can  be  obtained  in  the  Ever- 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        159 

glades,  east  and  south  of  Lake  Okeechobee,  has  not  been  deter- 
mined as  no  wells  have  been  drilled  in  this  part  of  the  State. 
While  definite  information  is  lacking-,  it  is  considered  probable  that 
flowing  wells  will  be  obtained  within  the  Everglades ;  particularly 
toward  the  western  side.  Subsequent  records  may  show  that  the 
Atlantic  Coast  and  Gulf  Coast  flowing  areas  are  connected  bv 
way  of  the  Everglades  and  around  Lake  Okeechobee. 

While  the  northern  limit  of  the  Southern  Gulf  Coast  area  has 
been  given  as  the  Pinellas  Peninsula,  from  recent  well  records  it 
seems  probable  that  a  flow  may  be  obtained  north  of  this  limit, 
and  possibly  entirely  around  the  Gulf  Coast.  Two  wells  have 
reached  this  deeper  flow,  one  at  Crystal  River,  in  Citrus  County, 
and  one  at  Perry,  in  Taylor  County.  The  well  in  Taylor  County 
reached  a  depth  of  1,199  feet.  The  total  dissolved  solids  in  this 
water,  as  shown  by  analysis  made  by  the  State  Chemist,  is  5,650 
parts  per  million  parts  water.  The  chlorine  alone  amounts  to  590 
parts  per  million  parts  water.  The  water  is  reported  to  have 
medicinal  qualities.  The  well  in  Citrus  County  reached  a  depth 
of  1,900  feet.  The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from 
this  well  made  for  the  State  Survey  by  the  State  Chemist  in  1907: 

Ingredients.  Parts  per  million. 

Calcium  oxide   (CaO)    1,385.0 

Magnesium  oxide   (MgO)    480.6 

Sulphate    (SO4)     2,684.0 

Chlorine    (Cl)    903.9 

Silica    (SiO2)    30.0 


Total  solids 


WESTERN  GULF  COAST  AREA. 

The  Western  Gulf  Coast  area  begins  at  Carrabelle,  in 
Franklin  County,  and  extends  to  the  western  line  of  the  State. 
The  flow  along  this  westward  extension  of  the  State  is  evidently 
due  to  the  rapid  southward  dip  of  the  formations  exposed  along 
the  northern  line  of  the  State,  and  in  southern  Georgia  and  Ala- 
bama. Both  the  Oligocene  and  the  Miocene  formations  exposed 


160  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

along  the  Ocklocknee,  Apalachicola  and  other  rivers  crossing 
Western  Florida,  from  north  to  south,  dip  and  pass  from  view 
in  approaching  the  coast.  It  is  doubtless  from  these  or  from  later 
formations  that  the  flowing  water  of  this  section  is  obtained.  At 
Apalachicola  the  artesian  water  has  a  head  bringing  it  only  a 
few  feet  above  the  surface.  The  wells  at  this  locality  vary  in 
depth  from  350  to  620  feet.  A  number  of  deep  wells  have  been 
drilled  along  St.  Andrews  Bay,  in  Washington  County.  The 
artesian  water  in  this  section  will  rise  several  feet  above  sea  level. 
One  of  the  city  wells  at  Panama  City  is  reported  to  flow  13.02 
feet  above  the  surface,  or  about  15  feet  above  sea  level.  A  second 
city  well,  located  on  higher  ground,  is  non-flowing  although 
drilled  to  a  depth  of  630  feet. 

Several  wells,  ranging  in  depth  from  181  to  210  feet,  have 
been  drilled  along  Choctawhatchee  Bay,  in  Walton  County.  A 
strong  flow  is  obtained  in  this  section.  A  well  210  feet  deep,  3 
miles  south  of  Freeport,  owned  by  the  Baker-Wingfield  Company, 
had  a  pressure  when  measured  September  22,  1910,  of  15  pounds, 
equivalent  to  a  head  of  34.65  feet  above  surface.  Another  we 'I 
near  by,  189  feet  deep,  belonging  to  the  Choctawhatchee  Lumber 
Company,  had  a  pressure  on  the  same  date  of  12^2  pounds,  equiva- 
lent to  a  head  of  28.87  feet  above  the  surface.  Both  of  these  wells 
are  located  on  low  ground,  near  sea  level.  A  well,  181  feet  deep, 
belonging  to  Messrs.  J.  C.  Blackburn  and  J.  N.  McLain,  located 
on  higher  ground,  in  the  town  of  Freeport,  had  a  pressure  of  Ql/2 
pounds,  equivalent  to  a  head  above  the  surface  of  15  feet. 

At  Pensacola,  and  generally  along  the  coast  in  Escambia  County., 
good  flowing  wells  are  obtained.  A  well  at  Northrop,  1,030  feet 
deep,  belonging  to  Stephen  Lee,  is  reported  to  have  a  head  of  60 
feet  above  the  surface.  At  Muscogee  a  well,  175  feet  deep, 
belonging  to  the  Southern  States  Lumber  Company,  is  reported 
to  have  a  head  of  38  feet  above  the  surface.  A  well  on  Bayou 
Grande,  near  Pensacola,  belonging  to  Messrs.  Stephen  and  W.  F. 
Lee,  is  reported  to  be  1,000  feet  deep  and  to  have  a  pressure  of 
24  pounds,  equivalent  to  a  head  of  55.44  feet  above  the  surface. 
The  temperature  of  the  water  is  given  as  92  degrees  F.  and  the 
flow  as  225,000  gallons  per  day. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN   FLORIDA.         161 

Among  the  isolated  flowing  wells  in  the  State  two  at  Grace- 
ville,  in  Jackson  County,  are  of  especial  interest.  The  first  well 
at  this  locality  was  drilled  some  years  ago  by  Mr.  F.  J.  White. 
When  first  drilled,  Air.  White  says,  the  well  flowed  slightly  above 
the  surface,  but  soon  afterwards  ceased  to  flow.  On  the  day  fol- 
lowing the  great  San  Francisco  earthquake  of  1906,  however,  the 
well  was  observed  to  be  flowing,  and  it  has  continued  flowing 
from  that  date.  The  second  well  at  Graceville  was  drilled  in 
1910  for  the  city  by  Mr.  C.  D.  Williams.  This  well  is  287  feet 
deep.  The  water  has  a  head  sufficient  to  rise  about  2  feet  above 
the  surface.  The  well  is  eight  inches  in  diameter  for  161  feet, 
and  six  inches  to  the  bottom.  The  flow  is  estimated  at  20  gallons 
per  minutes.  Although  no  well  samples  have  been  obtained  it 
seems  probable  from  the  driller's  notes  that  the  wells  at  this  lo- 
cality pass  through  the  Yicksburg  Limestone  and  enter  an  under- 
lying formation. 

A  well  drilled  as  a  test  well  for  oil  about  six  miles  south  of 
Chipley,  in  Washington  County,  is  said  to  have  flowed  at  a  depth 
of  about  1,250  feet. 

During  1912  flowing  wells  were  obtained  at  and  near  Ponce 
de  Leon,  in  Holmes  County.  These  wells  vary  in  depth  from  200 
to  213  feet.  The  water  rises  5  to  6  feet  above  the  surface.  After 
passing  through  about  100  to  130  feet  of  sands,  sandstone,  and 
blue  marl,  limestone  is  reached  from  which  the  artesian  water  is 
obtained.  The  following  is  a  log  of  one  of  these  wells  drilled 
for  the  town  of  Ponce  de  Leon.  This  well  flows  65  gallons  per 
minute  and  has  a  head  of  six  feet  above  the  surface.  The  record 
is  by  the  drillers,  M.  J.  Gray  &  Company. 

Feet. 

Coarse  yellow  sand   0-  10 

White  sandy  clay   10-39 

Yellow    sand     39-  43 

Sandstone    43-  60 

Blue  marl    60-130 

White   limestone    130-203 


162  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


DISCUSSION  BY  COUNTIES 


NASSAU  COUNTY. 

LOCATION   AND   SURFACE   FEATURES. 

Nassau  County  lies  bordering  the  Atlantic  Ocean  in  extreme 
northeastern  Florida.  The  St.  Mary's  River,  taking  its  source 
in  Okefenokee  and  other  swamps  along  the  Florida-Georgia  boun- 
dary line,  after  flowing  south  and  southeast  until  approximately 
on  a  parallel  with  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Johns  River,  turns  abrupt- 
ly and  flows  directly  north  for  a  distance  of  30  miles.  From  this 
point  the  river  flows  slightly  south  of  east  to  the  Atlantic.  Nas- 
sau County  occupies  the  northern  and  western  part  of  the  penin- 
sula-like extension  of  Florida  formed  by  the  northward  bend  of 
this  river,  the  northern  and  western  boundaries  of  the  county 
being  formed  by  the  river. 

The  surface  is  in  general  level  or  rolling.  The  highest  eleva- 
tion found  within  the  county  is  near  the  western  side,  where  a 
flat-topped  ridge  extends  north  and  south,  lying  only  a  few  miles 
distant  from  the  St.  Marys  river.  Towns  lying  on  this  ridge 
are  as  follows :  Boulogne,  elevation  TO  feet ;  Hilliard,  elevation 
66  feet;  Crawford,  elevation  85  feet;  Kent,  elevation  70  feet 
Some  places  on  this  ridge  may  exceed  100  feet  in  elevation. 
Aside  from  this  ridge  no  points  are  recorded  in  Nassau  County 
having  an  elevation  reaching  50  feet. 

That  part  of  the  county  east  of  this  ridge,  including  fully  two 
thirds  of  the  county,  is  lower  in  elevation  and  is  prevailingly  'of 
the  open  flatwoods  type  of  soil. 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

Up  to  the  present  time  the  identification  of  the  age  and  char- 
acter of  the  different  strata  encountered  in  drilling  in  Nassau 
County  has  been  difficult  owing  to  the  fact  that  no  complete  set 
of  well  samples  from  any  well  in  this  county  has  been  obtained. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FIX)RIDA.        163 

From  an  incomplete  set  of  samples  from  the  J.  R.  Wilson  well 
at  Callahan,  kindly  saved  by  the  driller,  Mr.  H.  C.  Russell,  it  is 
seen  that  limestone  was  encountered  at  a  depth  of  from  212  to 
255  feet.  The  limestone  was  very  hard  and  massive  and  no  fos- 
sils were  observed  in  the  sample.  Just  above  this  stratum  of  rock 
is  reported  a  twelve  foot  layer  of  sand  and  black  pebbles,  and  in 
fact  these  black  pebbles  were  seen  imbedded  in  the  underlying 
limestone.  Water  is  reported  to  flow  from  this  depth.  Below 
this  stratum  of  rock  100  feet  of  blue  marl  with  inclusions  of 
several  thin  strata  of  shells  is  reported.  In  a  sample  from  this 
stratum  the  sand  was  gray  in  color  and  the  grains  were  round  in 
outline.  The  black  pebbles,  smaller  than  those  in  the  above 
stratum,  occur  also  at  this  depth  but  may  have  dropped  down 
from  above.  At  a  depth  of  from  355  to  364  feet  a  very  hard 
rock  is  reported,  but  no  further  notes  were  made  of  this  and  no 
samples  kept.  From  364  to  418  feet  indurated  gray  sand  and 
blue  marl  are  reported  and  immediately  below  this  is  encountered 
a  rock,  apparently  limestone,  in  which  the  water  is  reported  to 
increase  in  head  and  in  volume  of  flow  as  each  hard  layer  is  pene- 
trated. From  all  information  that  could  be  gathered  it  seems 
probable  that  this  limestone  is  the  Vicksburg. 

Exposures  of  clayey,  impure  limestones  are  found  along  the 
St.  Marys  River,  at  High  Bluff,  about  six  miles  and  at  Saw  Pit 
Bluff,  about  two  miles  above  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  Railroad 
bridge ;  also  at  Chalk  Bluff  and  at  Orange  Bluff,  near  King's 
Ferry. 

The  section  at  Saw  Pit  Bluff  is  as  follows 

Feet. 

Slicky  blue  clay  with  some  soil 5 

Impure  .limestone    o 

At  Chalk  Bluff,  about  two  miles  above  King's  Ferry,  the  fol- 
lowing section  was  observed : 

Feet. 

Sticky  blue  clay  with  some  soil  at  top 2 

Calcareous  clay  resembling  fuller's  earth 2 

White  chalky  material 1 

Clay  resembling  fuller's  earth   2 


164  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Going  down  the  river  from  Kings  Ferry  no  rock  or  shell  ex- 
posures are  seen  until  Reeds  Bluff,  near  Crandall,  is  reached. 
This  bluff,  which  lies  on  the  Florida  side  of  the  St.  Mary's  River, 
is  semi-circular  in  shape  and  is  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  long. 
The  following  section  was  made  near  the  middle  of  this  bluff: 

Feet. 

Incoherent  pale  yellow  sands 20-40 

Oyster  shell  reef  imbedded  in  fine,  sandy  clay 10-15 

Blue  sands  and  sandy  clays  oxidizing  yellow 10-20 

The  oyster  reef  in  this  section  rests  irregularly  upon  the  un- 
derlying sands,  the  base  of  the  reef  being  10  to  20  feet  above 
low  tide.  The  oyster  reef  extends  about  two  hundred  feet  along 
the  face  of  the  blufi. 

The  unusual  thickness  of  the  loose  yellow  sands  at  the  top  of 
the  bluff  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  upward  moving  currents  of 
air  carry  sand  as  it  is  loosened  along  the  face  of  the  bluff  to  the 
top,  where  it  accumulates  as  a  sand  dune. 

Roses  Bluff,  also  on  the  Florida  side  of  the  river,  about  two 
miles  below  Crandall,  is  semi-circular  in  shape  and  is  fully  two 
miles  long.  The  following  section  was  made  near  the  middle  of 
this  bluff: 

Feet. 

Dark  colored  sand  and  soil 4 

Dark  iron-stained  sand    (hardpan) 7 

Ochre   yellow    sand S 

Sand  with  some  clay 5 

Sandy  shell  bearing  marl,  blue,  oxidizing  yellow 4 

Sloping  to  water's  edge  at  low  tide 5 

33 
AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW  IN  NASSAU  COUNTY. 

That  part  of  Nassau  County  in  which  flowing  wells  can  be 
obtained  is  indicated  on  the  accompanying  map  by  shading. 
Flowing  wells  may  be  obtained  as  shown  by  the  map,  Fig.  6, 
in  approximately  the  eastern  twc-thirds  of  the  county.  A  rela- 
tively small  area,  including  the  ridge  already  mentioned,  lying 
near  the  western  part  of  the  county  and  extending  north  and 
south,  parallel  with  the  St.  Marys  River,  stands  too  high  to  obtain 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN   FLORIDA.         165 

flowing  wells.  In  this  section,  however,  non-flowing  artesian 
water  may  be  obtained  which  will  stand  within  a  few  feet  of  the 
surface. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 

CALLAHAN. 

There  are  several  flowing  wells  at  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Cal- 
lahan,  varying  from  410  to  489.7  feet  in  depth.  Three  different 
wrater-bearing  strata  are  reported  in  all  the  deeper  wells  at  Cal- 
lahan,  the  first  occurring  at  about  50,  the  second  at  from  160  to 
200,  and  the  third  at  400  to  425  feet.  The  water  from  the  first 
stratum  does  not  flow,  but  rises  to  within  6  to  10  feet  of  the 
surface,  and  is  found  in  a  shell  formation.  The  water  from  the 
other  two  strata  rises  from  28  to  48  feet  above  the  surface. 

The  first  deep  or  artesian  well  at  Callahan  was  drilled  in 
1904.  This  well  was  put  down  at  the  instance  of  several  of  the 
residents,  by  D.  C.  Stafford.  It  is  a  three-inch  well  and  reported 
to  be  about  400  feet  deep.  The  main  source  of  domestic  water 
supply  at  Callahan  until  the  completion  of  ihis  well  had  been 
shallow  wells.  These  wells,  which  vary  in  depth  from  25  to  60 
feet,  obtain  their  water  supply  chiefly  from  the  underlying  sands 
and  clays.  The  water  from  these  sands  and  clays,  while  soft 
and  very  desirable  for  domestic  purposes,  seemed  to  be  contami- 
nated by  surface  impurities  as  was  indicated  by  the  many  cases 
of  typhoid  fever.  Several  of  the  citizens  suspected  that  this  sick- 
ness was  due  to  the  drinking  of  this  surface  water  and  their 
combined  efforts  resulted  in  the  completion  of  this  first  artesian 
well.  Since  the  completion  of  this  and  other  deep  wells  the 
healthfulness  of  the  locality  has  greatly  improved. 

A  three-inch  well  drilled  for  J.  R.  Wilson  in  1908  by  H.  C. 
Russell  reached  a  total  depth  of  412  feet.  It  is  reported  cased 
188  feet  and  has  a  pressure  of  21  pounds,  as  shown  by  the  pres- 
sure gauge  February  3,  1910,  or  a  head  of  48.51  feet  above  the 
surface.  The  elevation  of  the  depot  at  Callahan,  as  given  by  the 
Atlantic  Coast  Line  Railroad,  is  20  feet  above  sea.  The  location 
of  the  above  well  is  approximately  2  feet  lower  than  the  depot. 


166  FLORIDA  STATE;  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

or  about  18  feet  above  sea,  thus  making  a  total  head  of  66.51  feet 
above  sea. 

Another  three-inch  well  was  drilled  by  H.  C.  Russell  for 
T.  R.  Wells  &  Brother.  This  well,  reached  a  total  depth  of  420 
feet  and  is  cased  192  feet.  The  pressure  of  this  well,  as  shown 
by  the  pressure  gauge,  February  3,  1910,  was  19  pounds  or  a 
head  of  43.89  feet  above  the  surface.  The  elevation  of  the  well  is 
approximately  3  feet  higher  than  the  depot  or  5  feet  higher  than 
the  Wilson  well.  The  head  would  thus  be  66.89  feet  above  sea 
or  about  the  same  as  that  of  the  Wilson  well. 

In  February,  1910.  H.  C.  Russell  completed  a  second  well  for 
J.  R.  Wrilson.  This  well  is  located  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile 
east  of  Callahan.  It  is  a  three-inch  well  and  reaches  a  total 
depth  of  489.7  feet.  212  feet  of  3-inch  casing  was  used.  The 
first  flow  in  this  well  was  encountered  at  200  feet,  the  second  at 
275  feet  and  the  third  at  425  feet.  Although  the  drilling  in  this 
well  was  continued  to  a  depth  of  489.7  feet  it  is  reported  that  no 
increase  of  water  was  obtained  below  460  feet.  The  following 
is  a  log  of  this  well  as  constructed  from  the  notes  kept  by  the 
driller  and  from  samples  of  the  drillings  saved  by  him.: 

Feet. 

Sand    0-     2 

Red  clay   2-10 

Blue  clay  and  sand 10-  45 

Shell  deposit,  including  a  thin  layer  of  hard  rock  at  52  ft. 
Water  above  and  below  this  rock  comes  to  within  ten 

feet  of  surface  45-  60 

Blue  marl  with  occasional  beds  of  shells  3  or  4  feet  thick 

and  containing  black  to  dark  gray  water-worn  pebbles.   60-200 
Medium  coarse  sand  with  numerous  very  small  black  grains 

or  pebbles.    A  flow  was  obtained  at  this  depth 200-212 

Limestone    (sample)    212-255 

Blue  marl  and  fine  sands  with  inclusions  of  several  thin 

strata  of  shell.     (Sample) 255-355 

Very  hard  rock 355-364 

Indurated  gray  sand  and  blue  marl 364-418 

Rock,  hard  and  soft  strata  with  increase  of  flow  upon  pene- 
trating each  hard  stratum.  No  increase  reported  below 
460  feet.  Driller  reports  the  rock  to  be  closer  grained 
from  460  to  489.7  feet,  and  not  containing  much  water.. 418-489. 7 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN   FLORIDA.         167 
CRANDALL. 

Two  wells  are  reported  at  Cranclall,  both  of  which  are  owned 
by  Messrs.  L.  A.  Davis  &  Brother.  These  wells  are  three 
inches  in  diameter  and  both  are  reported  cased  to  a  depth  of 
80  feet.  One  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  480  feet;  the  other  *.c 
a  depth  of  450  feet.  The  water  is  reported  to  rise  35  feet  above 
the  surface.  The  water  from  one  of  the  wells  is  used  for  the 
boiler  supply  at  the  sawmill  and  is  said  to  form  a  hard  scale. 
The  other  well  is  used  for  general  drinking  purposes. 

EVERGREEN. 

Flowing  wells  are  obtained  at  Evergreen  postoffice,  a  village 
about  four  miles  distant  from  Evergreen  st-ition  on  the  Sea- 
board Air  Line  Railway.  A  well  owned  by  Mr.  L.  L.  Owens 
and  drilled  by  Mr.  D.  C.  Stafford  in  1909  is  about  500  feet  deep. 
It  is  two  inches  in  diameter  and  is  reported  cased  270  feet.  The 
water  is  reported  to  rise  25  feet  above  the  surface. 

FERNANDINA. 

Fernandina,  the  county  seat  of  Nassau  County,  is  located  in 
the  northeastern  part  of  the  county,  on  Amelia  Island.  This  is- 
land is  thirteen  miles  long  and  is  from  one  to  three  miles  wide. 
The  greater  portion  is  low  and  flat,  while  other  parts  are  gently 
undulating.  The  highest  elevation  on  the  island  is  to  be  found 
along  the  line  of  sand  dunes  bordering  the  ocean.  The  dune 
on  which  the  lighthouse  is  placed  reaches  an  elevation  of  abotu 
55  feet  above  the  sea. 

The  first  flow  of  water  in  and  near  Fernandina  is  reported  to 
be  encountered  at  a  depth  of  from  400  to  500  feet  after  drilling 
through  a  considerable  thickness  of  sand  and  blue  to  greenish 
clay  or  marl.  The  water  at  this  depth,  as  indicated  by  notes 
obtained  from  well  drillers,  comes  from  a  sand  stratum  confined 
there  by  the  overlying,  very  compact,  blue  to  greenish  clays. 

The  second  water  bearing  stratum  or  chief  source  of  supply  is 
obtained  at  or  about  the  depth  of  HOO  feet.  In  the  log  of  the 


168  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

new  well  at  the  city  water  works  limestone  or  what  was  termed 
by  the  driller,  Mr.  H.  Walker,  "water  rock"  was  encountered  at 
a  depth  of  556  feet.  This  was  reported  to  consist  of  alternating 
hard  and  soft  strata  and  the  flow  of  water  to  increase  with  depth 
as  each  hard  stratum  was  penetrated. 

The  first  well  drilled  on  Amelia  Island  was  put  down  for  the 
City  of  Fernandina  by  Messrs.  Wade  and  Hampton  in  1888. 
This  well  is  located  5  blocks  east  of  the  city  postoffice  and  is 
eight  inches  in  diameter  and  was  drilled  to  a  total  depth  of  640 
feet.  It  is  reported  cased  618  feet.  At  this  depth  an  abundance 
of  flowing  water  was  obtained  but  as  the  well  subsequently  be- 
came filled  with  sand  the  flow  decreased  to  such  an  extent  thar 
in  order  to  get  a  sufficient  amount  of  water  to  supply  the  city 
pumping  had  to  be  resorted  to.  Later  the  well  was  drilled  deeper 
to  a  depth  of  731  feet.  The  flow,  however,  is  reported  not  to  be 
as  great  as  it  was  originally,  although  the  deepening  of  the  well 
increased  the  amount  of  flow  to  such  an  extent  that  the  pumping 
of  the  water  became  unnecessary.  This  well  is  reported  to  have 
had  a  pressure  of  14  pounds  when  first  drilled  in  1888.  The 
following  record  of  measurements  of  the  flow  of  this  well  were 
kindly  supplied  by  Mr.  R.  V.  Nolan,  superintendent  of  the  City 
Waterworks. 

Flow  of  well. 
Date.  Gallons  per  day. 

1890 1,152,000 

1902 641,832 

1904 '. 495,408 

1905 i 440,564 

1907 425,952 

1909 • 408,000 

In  1906  a  second  well  was  drilled  for  the  city  by  Mr.  H 
Walker.  This  well  contains  120  feet  of  10-inch  casing;  356  feet 
of  8-inch  casing;  and  455  feet  of  six-inch  casing  and  is  drilled 
to  a  total  depth  of  733  feet.  The  head  of  the  water  in  this  we'i 
as  shown  by  the' pressure  gauge  January  28,  1910,  was  14  pounds 
to  the  square  inch  or  32.3  feet  above  the  surface  elevation  of  the 
well,  which  is  about  29  feet  above  sea,  thus  making  a  total  head 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        169 

of  61.3  feet  above  sea.    The  flow  of  this  well  in  1909  was  672,- 

000  gallons  per  day. 

The  following  is  a  log  of  the  new  well  at  the  City  Waterworks 

as  given  by  Mr.  H.  Walker,  the  driller: 

Feet. 

Sand    0-110 

Medium  hard  rock 110-126 

Sand  and  clay 126-185 

'Clay    185-400 

Sand     400-450 

Green  clay    450-512 

Rock    512-517 

Blue  clay   517-556 

Limestone,  termed  "bed  rock,"  with  alternating  hard  and 

soft   strata    556-733 

A  well  three  and  one-fourth  miles  south  of  Fernandina  owned 
by  the  Nassau  Truck  &  Farm  Company  was  drilled  by  J.  W. 
Wiggins  in  1909.  This  is  a  six-inch  well,  650  feet  deep  and 
cased  442  feet.  The  first  hard  rock  is  reported  at  a  depth  of 
500  feet.  The  pressure  of  this  well  was  taken  January  14,  1910, 
and  was  found  to  be  20y2  pounds  or  a  pressure  sufficient  to 
cause  the  water  to  rise  47.3  feet  above  the  surface. 

The  following  is  a  log  of  this  well  as  constructed  from  the 
notes  kept  and  kindly  made  available  by  Mr.  Walter  Schucht, 
Superintendent  of  the  company: 

Feet. 

Muck    0-    3 

Hardpan.    A  small  flow  just  below  this 3-    9 

Sand     9-100 

Blue  clay.    A  good  flow  of  water  reported 100-200 

Sand    200-400 

Coarse  sand  and  black  pebbles 400-500 

Hard  rock  500-630 

Limestone,  hard  and  soft  strata.    Increase  of  flow  upon 

breaking  through  each  hard  stratum 630-650 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  drawn  from  this 
well  January  14,  1910.  Analysis  made  for  the  State  Survey  in 
the  office  of  the  State  Chemist,  A.  M.  Henry,  analyst : 


170  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Silica,   (SiO2)    24.0 

Chlorine,    (Cl)     30.0 

Sulphates,  (SO4)    133.0 

Phosphates,    (PO4)    0.0 

Carbonates,    (CO3)    0.0 

Bicarbonates,    (HCOa)    195.0 

Sodium  and  Potassium  (Na  &  K) 30.0 

Magnesium    (Mg)    13.0 

Calcium    (Ca)    55.0 

Iron  and  Alumina,   (Fe  &  Al) Trace 

Loss  on  Ignition 130 . 0 


Total  dissolved  solids 500.0 

A  well  just  across  Amelia  River  and  about  two  miles  south- 
west of  Fernandina  was  driven  by  James  Jones  for  L.  G.  Hirth. 
The  well  is  94  feet  deep,  two  inches  in  diameter  and  the  water 
stands  7  feet  below  the  surface. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well  made 
by  Dr.  E.  R.  Flint,  Chemist,  University  of  Florida,  Gainesville, 
Fla. : 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Free   Ammonia    None 

Albuminoid    Ammonia    Slight  Trace 

Nitrites     Slight  Trace 

Nitrates     None 

Chlorine    20.40 

Total   Solids    192.01 

Organic  and  Volatile   Solids 30 . 00 

Hardness    (CaCO3)    54.85 

Permanent   Hardness    None 

HILLIAR'D. 

Milliard  is  located  in  northwestern  Nassau  County,  on  the 
Atlantic  Coast  Line  Railroad,  and  about  eight  miles  distant  from 
the  St.  Marys  River.  No  flowing  wells  have  been  reported  in 
this  part  of  the  county,  the  elevation  being  too  great.  The  eleva- 
tion of  the  depot  at  Milliard  as  recorded  by  the  Atlantic  Coast 
Line  Railroad  is  6G  feet.  Mr.  D.  W.  Griffing  has  kindly  fur- 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.         171 

nished  several  points  of  elevation  covering  the  property  of  the 
Cornwall  Farm  Land  Company 

The  only  deep  well  reported  at  Milliard  is  owned  by  The 
Cornwall  Farm  Land  Company  and  was  drilled  by  J.  W.  Wig- 
gins in  1909.  It  is  an  eight-inch  well,  648*/i  feet  in  depth  and 
cased  about  400  feet.  The  elevation  at  the  well  is  somewhat 
above  the  depot  and  the  water  is  reported  to  rise  to  within  12 
feet  of  the  surface.  Hard  rock  was  encountered  at  300  feet  and 
the  principal  supply  of  water  is  reported  as  being  obtained  from 
the  depth  of  400  feet.  The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water 
from  this  well.  Analysis  by  the  Chemical  and  Engineering  Com- 
pany, 35  Kinzie  Street,  Chicago,  111. : 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Organic    Matter    37.0 

Silica     36.0 

Calcium  Carbonate  (Lime  91.  parts  per  mil.) 151.0 

Calcium   Sulphate 16.0 

Magnesium    Sulphate    105 . 0 

Magnesium   Chloride    40 . 8 

Sodium  Chloride    (common  salt) 20.3 

ITALIA. 

One  deep  well  is  reported  at  Italia.  This  well  is  now  owned 
by  McLeod  Bros.  &  Airth  and  was  drilled  in  1905.  It  is  a  2-inch 
well  and  reached  a  total  depth  of  430-f-  feet.  It  is  reported  cased 
40  feet  and  to  have  a  head  of  30  feet  above  the  surface. 

KING'S  FERRY. 

Kings  Ferry  is  located  on  the  St.  Marys  River,  about  30  miles 
up  the  river  from  Fernandina.  One  deep  well  owned  by  W.  J. 
Carlton  is  reported  from  Kings  Ferry.  This  well  is  two  inches 
in  diameter  and  about  400  feet  deep  and  was  drilled  in  1909  by 
D.  C.  Stafford.  The  pressure  of  this  well  could  not  be  ascer- 
tained but  it  furnishes  a  strong  flow  and  was  reported  to  rise 
more  than  31  feet  above  the  surface  in  a  one-inch  pipe. 


172  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

LESSIE. 

A  deep  well  at  Lessie,  owned  by  J.  R.  Wilson  &  Company 
and  drilled  by  D.  C.  Stafford,  is  reported  to  have  a  depth  of  450 
feet.  It  is  a  two-inch  well  and  furnishes  an  abundant  supply 
of  water. 

LOFTON. 

The  well  of  J.  W.  Rodgers  at  Lofton  was  bored  in  1906  and 
is  reported  to  have  a  depth  of  510  feet.  It  is  two  inches  in 
diameter  and  gives  a  good  flow,  but  the  height  to  which  the  water 
would  rise  above  the  surface  was  not  learned  The  water  from 
the  well  is  used  for  general  domestic  purposes  and  to  supply  the 
turpentine  still. 

DUVAL  COUNTY. 
LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

Duval  County  joins  Nassau  County  on  the  south,  and  is  sepa- 
rated from  it  by  the  Nassau  River  and  its.  tributary,  Thomas 
Creek.  The  St.  Johns  River  flows  through  Duval  County.  The 
surface  drainage  from  this  county  is  carried  off  largely  through 
these  rivers  and  their  tributaries. 

The  surface  is  in  general  flat  or  but  slightly  rolling.  The 
surface  elevation  rises  gradually  from  sea  level.  The  highest 
elevation  reached  is  found  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  county, 
where  the  "Trail  Ridge"  forms  part  of  the  boundary.  A  narrow 
strip  along  this  part  of  the  county  exceeds  100  feet  in  elevation. 
With  this  exception  practically  all  parts  of  this  county  lie  below 
the  100-foot  contour  line,  while  much  of  the  area  lies  below  the 
25-foot  contour  line. 

The  elevations  in  Nassau  and  Duval  Counties  have  been  ob- 
tained from  various  sources.  An  important  line  of  levels  extend- 
ing from  Trout  Creek  across  Nassau  and  Duval  Counties  in  a 
southwesterly  direction,  made  during  the  summer  of  1909,  in  con- 
nection with  a  preliminary  survey  for  a  ship  canal  across  Florida, 
were  kindly  made  available  for  this  purpose  in  the  office  of  the 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        173 

United  States  Engineer  at  Jacksonville.     Similar  surveys  made 
by  the  same  office  in  1879  supplied  elevations  from  Fernandina 


MANDINA 


Fig.  6. — Map  of  flowing  area  of  Nassau  and  Duval  Counties.     The 
area  in  which  flowing  wells  can  be  obtained  is  indicated  by  shading. 

to  Maxville  and  at  various  points  along  the  St.  Marys  River.* 
In  addition  much  information  as  to  elevations  has  been  obtained 

*Annual  Report  of  the  Chief  of  Engineers  for  1880,  pp.  973-1010. 


174  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

from  the  profiles  of  the  several  railroads  crossing  this  section, 
particularly  the  Seaboard  Air  Line  from  Jacksonville  to  Maxville, 
the  Florida  East  Coast  from  Jacksonville  to  Mayport  and  the 
Atlantic  Coast  Line  from  Jacksonville  to  the  St.  Marys  River. 

From  Jacksonville  westward  the  rise  in  elevation,  as  shown 
by  the  profile  of  the  Seaboard  Air  Line  Railway,  is  very  gradual 
to  a  point  three  miles  west  of  Jacksonville  where  an  elevation  of 
27  feet  is  reached.  From  this  summit  the  elevation  drops  off 
slightly,  the  elevation  of  Cedar  Creek  being  17  feet.  Beyond 
Cedar  Creek  the  elevation  rises  more  rapidly.  Marietta  station 
is  approximately  GO  feet  above  sea.  The  summit  of  this  rise  is 
reached  two  miles  west  of  Marietta  \vhere  the  elevation  is  94 
feet.  White  House  station  is  82  feet  above  sea  Beyond  McGirts 
Creek  one  and  one-half  miles  an  elevation  of  91  feet  is  reached. 
From  this  point  there  is  a  very  gradual  slope  to  Baldwin,  this 
latter  place  being  86  feet  above  sea.  South  from  Baldwin  the 
contour  rises  in  general,  reaching  an  elevation  of  93  feet  at  Max- 
ville and  100  feet  one-half  mile  beyond  the  county  line. 

The  line  of  levels  run  by  United  States  Engineers  extends 
from  Trout  Creek,  passing  just  to  the  south  of  Brandy  Branch 
station,  or  Bryceville  postoffice.  The  summit  elevation  in  Nas- 
sau and  Duval  Counties  along  this  line  occurs  about  four  miles 
northeast  of  Brandy  Branch,  where  an  elevation  of  90  feet  is 
lecorded. 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

The  deeper  wells  in  Duval  County  reach  and  terminate  in  the 
Vicksburg  Limestone.  This  is  known  to  be  the  case  at  Jack- 
sonville, at  which  place  the  Vicksburg  is  reached  at  approxi- 
mately five  hundred  feet  from  the  surface.  The  wells  at  Jack- 
sonville, the  deepest  of  which  reach  a  total  depth  of  something 
over  a  thousand  feet,  do  not,  so  far  as  the  records  show,  pass 
entirely  through  the  Vicksburg. 

The  formations  lying  above  the  Vicksburg  are  less  charac- 
teristic lithologically  and  are  not  easily  differentiated.  The  sur- 
face deposits  include  both  recent  and  Pleistocene  material.  During 
a  part  of  Pleistocene  time  this  section  of  the  State  stood  at  a 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        175 

lower  level  than  at  present,  permitting  the  ocean  to  extend  inland 
some  distance  beyond  the  present  coast  line.     Conrad*  has  re- 


*Conrad,  T.  A.,  Am.  Journ.  Sci.  (2)  11,  38,  1846. 
corded  the  occurrence  of  marine  shell  deposits  of  post-Pliocene 
age  along  the  banks  of  the  St.  Johns  River  at  an  elevation  of 
from  ten  to  fifteen  feet  above  the  present  high  tide.  Conrad  also 
reports  a  similar  post-Pliocene  deposit  about  one-half  mile  from 
the  bank  of  the  river  near  the  ancient  village  of  Hasard.  Marl 
deposits  are  said  to  occur  near  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Johns  River, 
on  the  banks  of  Ft.  George  Inlet.  That  the  depression  of  the 
coast  during  Pleistocene  time  was  general  is  indicated  by  the 
records  from  several  other  localities. 

Beneath  the  Pleistocene,  Pliocene  deposits  probably  occur  over 
some  parts  of  the  county.  The  total  thickness  of  the  Pleistocene 
and  Pliocene,  if  both  are  represented,  is,  however,  not  great,  as 
the  fossiliferous  Miocene  limestone  was  reached  at  Jacksonville, 
in  the  boring  at  the  city  well,  at  a  depth  of  33  feet. 

AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW  IN  DUVAL  COUNTY. 

The  area  of  artesian  flow  in  Duval  County  is  indicated  on  the 
accompanying  map  by  shading.  As  will  be  observed  the  flowing 
area  borders  the  Atlantic  coast,  Nassau  and  St.  Johns  Rivers 
and  extends  some  distance  inland,  following  each  smaller  stream 
and  tributary.  The  wells  in  western  Duval  County  are  non- 
flowing.  A  topographic  map  of  this  section  would  assist  in  deter- 
mining flowing  and  non-flowing  sections,  since  the  flow  is  to  a 
large  extent  correlated  with  elevation.  It  is  to  be  borne  in  mind, 
however,  that  artesian  water  depends  primarily  upon  the  struc- 
ture of  the  underlying  formations  and  these  formations  are  liable 
to  variations  of  which  there  is  no  surface  indication.  For  this 
reason,  while  the  map  indicates  the  area  of  probable  flow  the 
exact  limits  of  the  area  are  best  determined  by  drilling. 


176  FLORIDA  STATE;  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 
BALDWIN. 

Baldwin  is  located  on  the  Seaboard  Air  Line  Railway,  nine- 
teen miles  west  of  Jacksonville.  The  elevation  is  approximately 
8G  feet  above  sea.  Three  wells  have  been  drilled  at  or  near  Bald- 
win. The  deepest  of  these,  located  at  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  Rail- 
road crossing,  one-half  mile  north  of  Baldwin,  is  reported  to  reach 
a  total  depth  of  580  feet  and  is  cased  511  feet.  A  second  well 
nearby  reaches  a  depth  of  100  feet.  A  third  well  located  at  Bald- 
win reaches  a  depth  of  92  feet.  All  of  these  wells  are  non-flowing, 
although  the  water  rises  within  a  few  feet  of  the  surface.  The 
distance  at  which  the  water  stands  from  the  surface  in  the  deep 
weli  is  not  reported  beyond  'the  statement  that  the  well  is  non- 
flowing. 

BAYARD. 

Bayard  is  located  on  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway,  fifteen 
miles  south  of  Jacksonville.  The  elevation  of  this  place  is  ap- 
proximately 22  feet  above  sea.  Flowing  water  is  obtained  at 
Bayard,  one  well  having  been  put  down  for  the  Carter-Lucas 
Co.  This  is  a  three-inch  well,  reported  to  have  been  drilled  to  a 
depth  of  280  feet.  The  water  here  will  rise  at  least  fifteen  feet 
above  the  surface. 

JACKSONVILLE. 

The  large  number  of  wells  occurring  at  Jacksonville  precludes 
the  possibility  of  listing  or  describing  all.  Probably  not  less  than 
five  hundred  flowing  wells  occur  in  or  near  this  city. 

The  first  flow  obtained  at  Jacksonville,  according  to  the  rec- 
ords of  the  city  well,  was  a  light  flow  from  a  depth  of  487  feet. 
A  large  flow,  however,  is  not  obtained  until  the  drill  enters  the 
Vicksburg  limestones,  at  a  depth  of  about  524  feet.  After  reach- 
ing the  Vicksburg  the  flow  increases  upon  breaking  each  compact 
layer.  At  a  depth  of  632  feet  the  flow  in  the  new  city  well  was 
found  to  be  one  million  gallons  per  day.  At  a  depth  of  980  feet 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        177 

the  same  well  supplied  a  flow  of  two  million  gallons  per  day. 

The  material  penetrated  in  the  drilling  at  Jacksonville,  for  a 
depth  of  about  500  feet,  consists  largely  of  clays,  sandy  clays, 
and  sands  with  some  fossiliferous  limestone  and  some  shell  de- 
posits. From  about  500  to  524  feet  the  record  shows  considerable 
dense  hard  rock.  After  penetrating  this  stratum  the  limestones 
of  the  Vicksburg  group  are  reached.. 

The  water  supply  for  the  city  of  Jacksonville  is  obtained  from 
artesian  wells.  At  present  ten  artesian  wells  are  in  use.  Details 
as  to  the  depth  and  construction  of  these  wells  will  be  found  in 
the  table  of  well  records  Nos.  1  to  10.  The  log  of  well  No.  6 
was  given  in  the  Second  Annual  Report,  p.  109.  The  samples 
from  which  this  log  was  made  were  obtained  by  Superintendent 
Ellis  by  first  drilling  an  eight-inch  well,  and  afterwards  reaming 
it  out  to  a  ten-inch  well. 

The  following  is  the  record  of  the  new  city  well  at  Jackson- 
ville. Sample  of  drillings  from  this  well,  together  with  notes  on 
the  materials  penetrated,  were  kindly  kept  by  Mr.  S.  L.  Hughes 
of  the  Hughes  Specialty  Well  Drilling  Company,  of  Charleston, 
South  Carolina : 

Filled  ground  and  sand  0    -  15 

Sand  with  some  clay 15     -  33 

Sandy  limestone,  yellowish  or  light  buff  in  color 33    -  37 

Light  colored  clay  marl  37     -  70 

Blue  sticky  clay  with  black  phosphatic  pebbles 70    -100 

Marls,  usually  green  or  olive  green  in  color  containing 
variable  amount  of  sand,  and  clay.  Black  phosphatic 
pebbles  together  with  some  shell  fragments  occur 
throughout  the  marl.  Occasional  thin  layers  of 
light  colored  limestone  are  reported  within  this 
interval.  First  flow  of  water  at  270  feet  5  gallons 

per  minute    100    -320 

Buff  clay  resembling  fuller's  earth  mixed  as  seen  in  the 

sample,  with  green  sandy  marl 320    -340 

Greenish  and  sandy  clayey  marl 340    -390 

Indurated  sands  or  sandstones  390    -396 

Greenish  sandy  marls 396    -415 

Light  colored  limestone   415     -420 

Greenish  calcareous  sandy  clay 420    -434 

Dark  colored  hard  sand  rock  . .  .  .  434    -435 


FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


.   462     -490 


Olive  green  calcareous  sandy  clay 

Light  sandy  marl   

Green  sandy  marl    

Dark   sandy   clay    ..... 

Very  hard  dark  or  gray  sand  rock 

Silicified  and  very  hard  shell  rock  with  siliceous  phos- 
phatic  pebbles.  After  passing  through  this  rock  the 
flow  is  increased  to  112  gallons  per  minute,  tem- 
perature 71  degrees  F.  / 493  -498 

Light  colored  marl    4- 

Hard  rock   ;  •  50°    -506 

Light  gray  sandv  calcareous  rock  with  black  phosphatic 

pebbles     ..." 506     -510 

Feet. 

Light  colored  fossiliferous  limestone  (Vicksburg).  Upon 
reaching  this  formation  the  flow  is  increased  to  200 
gallons  per  minute.  At  625  to  635  feet  the  harder 
stratum  was  drilled  through,  which  flowed  500  gallons 
per  minute,  temperature  74  degrees  F.  At  680  feet  the 
water  pressure  measured,  as  shown  by  the  gauge,  12 
pounds  310-680 

Limestone,  prevailing  brownish  in  color,  and  as  a  rule  hard- 
er than  above.  Occasional  thin  layers  of  marl  and 
shell.  Slight  increase  of  flow  at  780,  water  pressure  at 
900  feet  15  pounds ;  flow  about  900  gallons  per  minute ; 
temperature  74  degrees  F 680-900 

Limestone  similar  in  character  to  above,  but  as  a  rule  not 
so  hard.  Flow  at  980  feet,  1,500  to  2,000  gallons  per 
minute  900-980 

The  Vicksburg  Limestone  was  reached  in  this  well  at  a  depth 
of  about  510  feet.  The  first  170  feet  of  the  Vicksburg  is  prevail- 
ingly light  colored  or  white  and  fossiliferous.  Below  680  feet 
the  limestone  is  as  a  rule  brownish  in  color,  compact  and  harder 
in  texture  and  not  so  fossiliferous.  The  amount  of  flow,  the 
pressure  and  the  temperature  increased  as  the  deeper  layers  of  the 
Vicksburg  Limestone  were  penetrated. 

The  formations  lying  above  the  Vicksburg  Limestone  can 
scarcely  be  differentiated.  The  Jacksonville  formation,  Miocene, 
is  reached  at  the  depth  of  33  feet.  At  about  320  feet  some  clays 
resembling  fuller's  earth  were  obtained.  At  from  415  to  420  feet 
light  colored  clayey  limestones  were  encountered.  With  these 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA. 


179 


exceptions  the  interval  from  37  feet  to  510  feet  consists  largely 
of  an  olive  green  sandy  marl. 

An  analysis  of  the  water  of  the  public  supply  at  Jacksonville 
was  made  in  1898.  Analyst,  Albert  Leeds,  Stevens  Institute  of 
Technology.  The  analysis  is  as  follows : 

Grains  per 
Constituents.  U.  S.  gallon. 


Silica  and  insoluble  matter. 

Alumina    

Carbonate  of  lime    

Sulphate  of  lime  

Sulphate  of  magnesia   

Sulphate  of  soda    

Chlorides  of  soda   

Free  ammonia    

Albuminoid  ammonia   . 


0.729 
0.047 
3.866 
4.053 
2.927 
5.843 
4.811 


Parts  per 
million. 
12.497 
8.057 
66.274 
69.480 
50.177 
100.166 
82.474 
0.143 
0.044 


The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  the  well  of 
the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway,  at  South  Jacksonville.  The  well 
is  651  feet  deep.  The  analysis  is  by  the  American  Water  Soften- 
er Company,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Grains  per  Parts  per 

Constituents.                                                      U.  S.  gallon,  million. 

Calcium  carbonate    32  5.48 

Calcium    sulphate    15.00  257.14    . 

Calcium   chloride    1.23  21.08 

Magnesium   carbonate    5.94  101.82 

Sodium   chloride    0.69  11.82 

Free   carbon    dioxide 0.41  7.02 

Iron,  aluminum  and  silica 0.09  1.54 

Incrusting    solids    22.59  387.26 

Non-incrusting   solids    0.60  11.82 


Total  solids... 


25.90 


444.00 


The  following  is  a  log  of  this  well  obtained  through  Mr.  G.  A. 
Miller,  as  reported  by  the  driller,  Mr.  H.  Walker. 

Feet. 

Dark   sand    0-     6 

Clay    6-     7 

White    sand    7-    9 

Gravel    .  .     C-  13 


180  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

White  clay   13-  17 

White  clay  and  sand 17-  31 

Hard  rock,  clay  and  rock 31-  35 

Blue   clay    35-50 

Rock    50-  56 

White  clay  and  sand 56-  89 

Sand    89-  90 

White  clay  and  sand 90-129 

Soft    rock    129-130 

Blue  clay  and  sand 130-200 

Loose   sand    200-201 

Tough  clay  and  sand 201-310 

Sand    310-312 

Loose   sand    : 312-355 

Clay  and  sand 355-365 

Clay     365-387 

Clay  and  gravel 387-388 

R°ck     : 388-396 

White   clay    396-406 

Rock   and   clay 406-412 

Hard   rock    412-414 

Clay  with  thin  strata  of  soft  rock 414-451 

Clay  and  sand 451-465 

Blue   clay    465-477 

Sand     •  477-481 

Soft  sandy  rock...  481_486 

Sand     '  486-492 

49"-501 

r°Ck    '  '•  "".".""SOI-SIO 

r0ck 510-536 

536-650 

MANDARIN. 

Mandarin  lies  within  the  flowing  area  which  borders  the  St 

Johns  River.     Several  wells  have  been  put  down  in  this  section. 

11  near  Mandarin,  drilled  by  H.  Walker  for  J    D    Mead 

reached  a  total  depth  of  600  feet.    This  well  is  cased  377  feet 

the  water  is  reported  as  rising  60  feet  above  the  surface 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        181 

MANHATTAN  BEACH. 

The  following  is  a  log  of  a  well  drilled  at  Manhattan  Beach 
by  H.  VanDorn  for  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway.  This  well 
flows  15,000  gallons  per  hour  through  a  two-inch  pipe.  The 
pressure  at  the  surface  is  20.5  pounds.  The  record  has  been 
obtained  through  Mr.  G.  A.  Miller. 

Feet. 

Sand    0-35 

Clay 35-47 

Clay  resembling  soapstone    47-  90 

Clay 90-140 

Soft  rock   140-155 

Clay    155-160 

Soft  rock 160-170 

Sand  and  clay  170-185 

Sand    185-210 

Clay    210-275 

Rock    275-280 

Clay    280-290 

Rock    290-292 

Sand  and  clay   292-310 

Rock    310-311 

Clay    311-320 

Sand  and  clay  320-340 

Clay    340-350 

Sand    350-357 

Clay    357-361 

Rock    361-363 

Clay    363-369 

Rock    369-370 

Clay    370-385 

Rock    385-387 

Sand    387-390 

Rock    390-391 

•  Clay    391-395 

Rock    395-396 

Clay    396-398 

Rock    398-404 

Water-bearing  rock   404-450 

Soft  rock   450-490 

Hard  rock  490-520 

Water-bearing  rock   520-540 


182  FLORIDA  STATS  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Hard  and  soft  rock  in  thin  layers   340-555 

Soft  rock  555-576 

Hard  and  soft  rock  in  thin  layers 576-600 

MAXVILLE. 

Maxville  is  located  on  the  Seaboard  Air  Line  Railway,  near 
the  southwestern  corner  of  Duval  County.  The  elevation  at  this 
point  is,  according  to  the  profiles  of  the  railroad,  about  93  feet 
above  sea.  A  well  drilled  at  this  place  in  1902  for  Mr.  R.  V. 
Douglass  is  reported  to  have  reached  the  depth  of  650  feet.  This 
well  is  non-flowing. 

MAY  PORT. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  of  the  well  of  the 
Florida  East  Coast  Railway  at  Mayport.  The  well  is  600  feet 
deep  and  has  a  pressure  of  22  pounds.  Analysis  by  the  American 
Water  Softener  Company,  Philadelphia,  Pa. : 

Grains  per  Parts  per 

Constituents.                                                  U.  S.  gallon,  million. 

Calcium  c.-irbonate   3-57  60  20 

Calcium   sulphate    5  33  91  37 

Magnesium  carbonate   4.46  76'43 

Sodium  carbonate    70  3  .>  00 

Sodium  chloride   245  4?  00 

Free  carbon  dioxide   32  5  48 

Iron,  aluminum  and  silica    33  5  65 

Incrusting   solids "     13'69  234'6g 

Non-,ncrusting  solids 3.13  53_6- 


Total  solids   18  09 

The  following  is  a  log  of  a  well  drilled  at  Mayport  by  B  S 
Partndge  for  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway.  The  record  'has 
>cen  made  available  by  Mr.  G.  A.  Miller : 

Sand  and  muck  Feet 

Rock   .                                                   °-  57 

Sand                                                  5?-  G1 

Rock    ..                                                      tn-  85 

85-  87 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        183 

Clay    87-160 

Rock    ! 160-165 

Clay    165-200 

Sand    200-240 

Clay    240-275 

Rock    275-280 

Sand 280-350 

Rock    350-353 

Clay    353-363 

Rock    363-366 

Clay    366-375 

Rock 375-379 

Sand    379-400 

Clay .400-440 

Soft   rock    440-447 

Soft  water-bearing  rock    447-627 

Hard  rock  ..  ...627-630 


ST.  JOHNS  COUNTY. 
LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

St.  Johns  County  lies  in  northeastern  Florida,  bordering  the 
Atlantic  Ocean.  On  the  north  it  joins  Duval  County  and  on  the 
south  Volusia  County.  The  western  boundary  is  formed  by  the 
St.  Johns  River.  The  county  has  a  total  length  of  sixty  miles. 
In  width  it  varies  from  eighteen  to  twenty-four  miles.  The  total 
area  is  approximately  1,000  square  miles. 

Owing  to  the  location  of  St.  Johns  County  between  the  St. 
Johns  River,  on  the  west,  and  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  on  the  east,  no 
great  variation  in  elevation  is  to  be  expected.  It  is  probable, 
however,  that  small  areas  in  the  interior  of  the  county  lie  above 
the  fifty-foot  contour.  In  passing  from  St.  Augustine  to  Jack- 
sonville, levels  made  by  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway  show 
near  the  county  line  an  elevation  over  a  small  area  of  57  feet. 
The  greatest  elevation  recorded  between  St.  Augustine  and  Hast- 
ings is  in  the  vicinity  of  Kurds.  A  line  of  levels  run  from  the 
coast  at  St.  Augustine,  at  the  instance  of  Mr.  B.  A.  Carter,  gave 
for  Hurds  an  elevation  of  thirty-eight  feet.  Levels  obtained  from 
the  U.  S.  Engineers'  Office,  Jacksonville,  Florida,  give,  for  a  point 


184  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

a  short  distance  east  of  Hurds,  a  level  of  thirty-six  feet.  From 
East  Palatka  south  information  regarding  elevation  is  unfortu- 
nately very  deficient.  From  the  fact  that  such  wells  as  have  been 
put  down  at  Dinner  Island,  Espanola,  Bunnell  and  Dupont,  are 
non-flowing,  it  is  probable  that  this  part  of  the  county  is  above 
the  twenty-five-foot  contour  line,  and  parts  of  this  area  may,  in 
fact,  approach  or  exceed  the  fifty-foot  contour.  Along  the  west 
side  of  the  county  bordering  the  St.  Johns  River  areas  varying 
in  width  from  3  to  10  or  more  miles  lie  below  the  twenty-five- 
foot  contour  line. 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

The  Vicksburg  Limestone  is  the  chief  source  of  the  artesian 
water  supply  of  St.  Johns  County,  although  a  small  flow  is  prob- 
ably obtained  before  reaching  this  formation.  The  Vicksburg 
Limestone  consists  of  alternating  hard  and  soft  fossiliferous 
strata  and  is  usually  easily  recognized.  At  St.  Augustine,  accord- 
ing to  determinations  made  by  Dr.  W.  H.  Dall,*  fossils  charac- 
teristic of  this  formation  were  obtained  from  a  depth  of  224  feet. 
At  Hastings,  17  miles  southwest  of  St.  Augustine,  well  records 
indicate  that  a  limestone  similar  in  character  to  the  Vicksburg  is 
reached  at  a  depth  of  from  175  to  200  feet.  At  Orange  Mills,  in 
Putnam  County,  3  miles  southwest  of  Hastings,  Orbitoides,  ap- 
parently representing  some  member  of  the  Vicksburg  group, 
were  obtained  at  a  depth  reported  at  110  feet.  At  the  time  the 
sample  was  received  the  well  was  drilled  to  a  total  depth  of  only 
130  feet.  Toward  the  northern  part  of  St.  Johns  County  the 
Vicksburg  Limestone  probably  dips  deeper,  since,  at  Jacksonville, 
this  formation  is  first  reached  at  a  depth  of  about  524  feet. 

The  superficial  material  in  this  county  is  largely  Pleistocene 
and  recent  sands  together  with  Pleistocene  and  recent  shell  de- 
posits. Oscillations  of  level  have  affected  the  surface  elevation, 
and  consequently  the  relative  extent  of  land  and  water  area  in 
this  county  within  comparatively  recent  time.  That  this  part  of 
the  State  stood  at  a  lower  level  during  a  part  of  Pleistocene  time 
is  evident  from  the  occurrence  of  marine  shell  deposits  of  Pleisto- 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        185 

cene  age  at  some  distance  inland  and  at  an  elevation  of  several 
feet  above  the  present  sea  level.  Oyster  banks,  probably  of 
Pleistocene  age,  are  exposed  along  a  small  drainage  ditch  on 
the  farm  of  A.  W.  Corbett,  four  miles  southwest  of  St.  Augus- 
tine, at  an  elevation  of  at  least  15  to  20  feet  above  the  present 
sea  level.  That  this  depression  during  Pleistocene  time  was 
general  for  this  part  of  the  State  is  indicated  by  the  evidence 
already  given. 

The  identification  of  the  formations  lying  above  the  Vicksburg 
limestones  and  beneath  the  superficial  sands,  from  well  records 
alone  is  a  matter  of  difficulty.  This  interval  in  St.  Johns  County 
is  occupied  largely  by  clays,  although  some  sand,  shell  and  rock 
strata  occur. 

AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW  IN  ST.  JOHNS  COUNTY. 

The  areas  of  flowing  and  non-flowing  wells  in  St.  Johns 
County  are  indicated  on  the  accompanying  map. 

The  shaded  lines  on  the  map  indicate  the  area  in  which  flow- 
ing artesian  wells  can  be  obtained  in  this  county.  As  will  be 
seen  from  the  map  the  flowing  area  borders  the  Atlantic  coast 
and  the  St.  Johns  River,  and  has  a  width  along  the  coast  and  also 
along  the  St.  Johns  of  from  two  or  three  to  eight  or  ten  miles. 
The  flowing  area  extends  inland  following  the  streams.  So  far 
as  present  records  show,  a  narrow  strip  extending  north  and 
south  through  the  central  part  of  the  county  is  non-flowing.  A 
fresh  water  spring  is  reported  to  occur  in  the  ocean  opposite 
Matanzas.  Springs  of  this  character  represent  the  natural  escape 
of  the  underground  waters  into  the  ocean. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 
ANASTASIA  ISLANB. 

A  six-inch  well,  drilled  in  1895,  at  South  Beach,  on  Antastasia 
Island,  reached  a  total  depth  of  2GO  feet.  A  strong  flow  of  sul- 
phur water  was  obtained  from  this  well. 


*U.  S.  Geol.  Surv.  Bull.  84,  p.  125,  1892. 


180 


FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


Scale   of  Miles 
0  8 


Fig.  7. — Map  showing  the  area  of  artesian  flow  in  St.  Johns  Count}'. 
The  area  in  which  Mowing  wells  can  be  obtained  is  indicated  by  shading. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        187 

ARMSTRONG. 

Flowing  wells  have  been  obtained  in  the  vicinity  of  Armstrong. 
A  four-inch  well,  drilled  in  1908,  for  J.  W.  Williams  by,  N.  H. 
Monck,  reached  a  total  depth  of  200  feet.  This  well  is  cased  70 
feet  and  the  water  is  reported  to  rise  12  feet  above  the  surface. 

BUNNELL. 

An  effort  was  made  in  1909  to  obtain  a  flowing  well  at  Bun- 
nell.  A  five-inch  well  was  drilled  at  this  place  by  Mr.  N.  H. 
Monck  for  Messrs.  Lambert  &  Moody.  This  well  was  cased  to 
a  depth  of  130  feet  and  is  reported  to  have  been  drilled  to  a  total 
depth  of  300  feet.  A  flow  is  not  obtained  in  this  well,  although 
the  water  rises  to  within  about  two  feet  of  the  surface. 

A  second  well  owned  by  Messrs.  Lambert  &  Moody,  drilled 
by  Bellough  &  Melton  in  1910,  is  128  feet  deep.  The  following 
log  of  this  well  was  supplied  by  the  drillers : 

Feet. 

Surface  material  and  sand  0     -  45 

Blue  clay 45     -  90 

Black  material  looking  like  gunpowder  or  pepper  .......   90     -109 

Blue  clay   109     -119 

Shell  and  sand  119    -124 

Blue  hard  rock 124    -124J4 

Cavity  6-inch,  sand  and  shell.     Water  rises  to  within 

1.4  feet  of  surface  124^-125 

Blue  hard  rock,  more  water,  with  same  head ;  drilling 

stopped  in  second  cavity 125    -128 

DINNER  ISLAND. 

A  record  of  one  well  has  been  obtained  at  Dinner  Island. 
This  is  a  three-inch  well  drilled  by  Mr.  H.  Mervin  for  Padgett 
&  Company.  It  has  a  total  depth  of  200  feet  and  does  not 
flow,  although  the  water  is  reported  to  rise  to  within  two  feet  of 
the  surface. 

ELKTON. 

Flowing  wells  are  obtained  at  Elkton.  A  five-inch  well  drilled 
by  N.  H.  Monck,  in  1908,  on  the  Middleton  farm,  reached  a  total 


188  FLORIDA  STATE;  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

depth  of  260  feet.  The  well  is  cased  100  feet  and  the  principal 
supply  of  water  comes  from  a  depth  of  200  feet.  The  water  is 
reported  to  rise  five  feet  above  the  surface. 

ESPANOLA. 

A  few  wells  occur  in  or  near  Espanola.  The  wells  immedi- 
ately in  the  town  do  not  flow.  Flowing  wells  are  obtained,  how- 
ever, from  one  to  five  miles  south,  along  Haw  Creek. 

FEDERAL  POINT. 

Federal  Point  lies  within  the  flowing  area  bordering  the  St. 
Johns  River.  A  considerable  number  of  wells  'have  been  drilled 
in  the  vicinity  of  this  place.  The  material  encountered  here,  to 
the  depth  of  about  125  feet,  consists  largely  of  clays.  Water  "is 
obtained  at  a  depth  of  from  200  to  250  feet,  the  wells  terminating 
in  limestone. 

The  following  is  a  partial  log  of  the  well  of  Messrs.  Hubbard 
and  Hart,  one-fourth  mile  northwest  of  Federal  Point.  This  is 
a  six-inch  well  drilled  by  Lloyd  Crary  in  1889.  The  well  has  a 
total  depth  of  225  feet  and  is  cased  60  feet.  The  water  is  re- 
ported to  rise  twenty  feet  above  the  surface  or  about  thirty  feet 
above  sea  level.  The  principal  supply  is  obtained  at  a  depth  of 
two  hundred  feet. 

Feet 
Record   incomplete,  said  to  consist  largely  of  clays, 

bluish  in  color  except  where  oxidized  yellow  at  surface    0-128 
A  sample  from  the  depth  of  128  feet  consists  of  frag- 
ments of  dark-colored  rock,  more  or  less  water 
worn,  including  small  sharks'  teeth,  fragments  of 

bones,  occasional  shining  black  phosphatic  pebbles 128-130 

llowish  sandy  clays  130-145 

Dark  fossiliferous  rock.  Fragments  of  this  rock  are 
of  grayish  color  and  contain  inclusions  of  a  dark- 
colored  mineral  similar  in  character  to  rock,  found 
:.  Augustine  at  a  depth  of  178  feet.  Sharks' 
teeth  and  black  phosphatic  pebbles  also  occur  as 
well  as  numerous  shell  fragments  145-16a 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        189 

A  mixed  sample  contained  material  similar  to  above 

with  addition  of  gray  sandy  clay  160-168 

Buff  colored  sandy  clay 168-180   • 

White  granular  fossilif erous  limestone   180-225 

This  well  probably  reaches  the  Vicksburg  group  of  limestones, 
as  indicated  by  sample,  from  the  depth  of  180  to  225  feet.  The 
material  obtained  between  the  depth  of  168  and  180  feet  may 
represent  the  Upper  Oligocene,  as  it  has  certain  lithological  re- 
semblances to  parts  of  the  Alum  Bluff  formation.  The  conglom- 
erate material  from  145  to  160  feet  together  with  a  part  of  the 
overlying  clays  probably  represents  the  Jacksonville  formation 
of  the  Miocene. 

HASTINGS. 

Hastings  is  in  the  western  part  of  St.  Johns  County,  and  is 
located  on  Deep  Creek,  a  tributary  to  the  St.  Johns  River.  The 
town  site  is  inland  about  three  miles  from  the  river.  The  eleva- 
tion at  Hastings,  at  the  residence  of  T.  H.  Hastings,  is,  according 
to  the  U.  S.  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  8  feet  above  sea. 

A  considerable  number  of  artesian  wells  have  been  put  down 
at  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Hastings.  Record  has  been  obtained  of 
fifty-one  wells  within  a  radius  of  three  miles  of  the  town. 

Wells  at  Hastings  are  largely  used  for  irrigating  purposes. 
The  average  depth  of  the  wells  now  in  use  is  148  to  272  feet, 
although  some  reach  a  greater  depth.  Most  of  the  wells  are 
4  to  6  inches  in  diameter.  The  length  of  casing  used  in  the  wells 
is  variable,  ranging  from  65  to  170  feet. 

Aside  from  the  superficial  soil  and  sand  the  material  penetrated 
at  Hastings  to  a  depth  of  about  170  feet  consists  largely  of  clays 
although  some  water-bearing  sands  are  reported  and  a  shell 
stratum  at  a  depth  of  60  to  62  feet  is  specially  mentioned. 

At  a  depth  of  170  to  180  feet  a  dark  colored,  very  hard  stratum 
occurs.  This  rock  appears  from  the  well  records  to  be  similar  in 
character  to  the  rock  found  at  St.  Augustine  at  a  depth  of  170 
to  180  feet.  After  passing  through  this  stratum  the  wells  pene- 
trate limestone  consisting  of  alternating  hard  and  soft  strata,  the 


190  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

flow  increasing  as  each  hard  stratum  is  penetrated.  This  lime- 
stone, probably  representing  the  Vicksburg  group,  has  been  pene- 
trated at  Hastings  about  200  feet  or  to  a  total  depth  of  365  feet, 
feet. 

Of  the  many  wells  at  Hastings  it  is  possible  to  give  an  in- 
dividual record  of  only  a  few.  The  following  is  a  log  of  the 
well  of  F.  R.  Allen,  kindly  supplied  by  the  driller,  Mr.  H.  Walker. 
This  is  a  6-inch  well,  located  three  miles  southeast  of  town.  It 
was  drilled  in  May,  1908,  and  is  used  for  irrigating  purposes. 

Feet. 

Yellow  clay  0     -     6 

Blue  clay  6     -  GO 

Shell  stratum   ; 60     -  64 

Clay  64     -160 

Soft  rock  160     -165 

Clay  165     -171 

Rock  supplying  small  flovv  171     -171]^ 

Limestone  171^-183 

Shell  and  limestone 183     -245 

Material  not  reported   245     -300 

The  following  is  a  partial  log  of  the  well  of  Henry  Bugbee 
taken  from  the  notes  kept  by  I.  C.  Peck.  This  is  a  four-inch 
well  drilled  in  1902  and  located  two  and  one-half  miles  south  of 
Hastings.  The  well  has  a  total  depth  of  257  feet  and  is  cased 
178  feet.  It  is  used  for  irrigating  purposes. 

Feet. 

Surface  material,  soil  and  sand   0-     6 

Mostly  clay,  some  sand  at  32  feet.     Material  from  38 

to  70  feet  not  reported  6-186 

Seven  feet  of  very  hard  rock  through  which  it  was 

possible  to  drill  only  a  few  inches  a  day  186-193 

Porous  limestone  from  which  flowing  water  is  obtained. .  .193-208 
Soft  limestone,  flow  increasing  with  depth   208-257 

HOLY  BRANCH. 

Flowing  wells  are  obtained  at  Holy  Branch.  A  four-inch 
well  drilled  in  1908  for  Charles  Slater  by  N.  H.  Monck  reached  a 
total  depth  of  240  feet.  This  well  is  cased  200  feet  and  the  water 
is  reported  to  rise  12  feet  above  the  surface. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        191 

The  following  is  a  log  of  the  well  of  Mr.  G.  A.  Beach,  sup- 
plied by  the  driller,  Mr.  Frank  Bartlett.  This  is  a  4-inch  well, 
257  feet  deep,  and  is  cased  184  feet: 

Feet. 

Surface  sand  and  soil  0    -     6 

Red  clay 6    -  20 

Hardpan,  black    20     -  24 

White  sand    24     -  30 

Blue  clay  and  marl 30    -  33 

Sand  and  shell  33     -  53 

Blue  clay  and  marl  53     -  59 

Shell  and  sand,  water  rises  to  within  nine  feet  of  surface  59     -  80 

Blue  clay  and  marl 80    -130 

Black  quicksand,  water  plentiful 130    -146 

Very  hard  blue  marl  and  clay 146    -180 

Black  quicksand,  water-bearing 180    -186 

Blue  marl 186     -196 

Very  hard  black  flint,  water  flows 196    -197J^ 

Hard  rock,  flint  and  more  water W7I/2-2QlI/2 

Softer  limestone,  more  water  with  increase  of  depth 201^2-251 

KURDS. 

Hurds  is  located  on  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway,  seven 
miles  southwest  of  St.  Augustine.  The  elevation  at  Hurds,  ac- 
cording to  levels  made  for  Mr.  B.  A.  Carter,  is  38  feet  above 
sea.  The  deepest  well  recorded  at  this  point  is  385  feet.  This 
is  a  4-inch  well  and  was  drilled  in  1906.  It  was  cased  to  a  depth 
of  160  feet.  This  well  does  not  flow,  although  the  water  rises  to 
within  five  feet  of  the  surface.  The  well  was  drilled  for  B.  A. 
Carter  by  I.  C.  Peck. 

MOULTRIE. 

Flowing  wells  are  obtained  at  Moultrie.  A  six-inch  well  put 
down  here  for  the  St.  Augustine  Industrial  School  reached  a 
total  depth  of  300  feet.  The  water  at  this  locality  is  reported  to 
rise  32  feet  above  sea  level.  The  surface  elevation  in  the  vicinity 
of  Moultrie  varies  from  0  to  about  30  feet  above  sea. 


192  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

PICOLATA. 

Picolata  is  in  the  extreme  western  portion  of  St.  Johns  County, 
almost  due  west  of  St.  Augustine,  on  the  St.  Johns  River.  A 
four-inch  well,  drilled  about  the  year  1890,  is  now  owned  by 
R.  H.  Bohn.  The  depth  was  reported  to  be  about  300  feet.  The 
pressure  of  this  well  was  taken  January  10,  1910,  and  was  found 
to  be  15  pounds.  The  elevation  of  the  well  is  approximately  8 
feet  above  the  river.  This,  together  with  a  pressure  of  15  pounds, 
would  give  the  well  a  head  of  42.65  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
water  in  the  St.  Johns  River. 

RIVERDALE. 

Riverdale  is  a  settlement  along  the  St.  Johns  River,  in  south- 
western St.  Johns  County.  At  this  place  several  artesian  wells 
have  recently  been  drilled.  A  well  302  feet  deep  was  sunk  in 
1909  by  Mr.  R.  C.  Walker  for  the  Riverdale  Land  Company. 
This  is  a  six-inch  well  and  is  cased  107  feet.  The  well  is  re- 
ported to  have  a  head  of  33^2  feet  above  the  surface  and  the 
surface  elevation  above  the  St.  Johns  River  is  estimated  to  be 
8  feet,  which  gives  the  well  a  total  head  of  41^  feet.  The  first 
rock  encountered  was  at  a  depth  of  175  feet,  and  at  this  depth 
the  water  was  found  to  be  under  sufficient  pressure  to  rise  to 
the  surface.  An  increase  in  the  flow  of  water  was  reported  at 
a  depth  of  190  feet. 

Mr.  R.  C.  Walker  completed  on  February  1,  1910,  a  well  for 
Mr.  J.  D.  Clark.  This  well  is  six  inches  in  diameter,  318  feet 
deep,  and  is  cased  136  feet.  At  the  depth  of  174  feet  a  one-foot 
stratum  of  bluish;  clayey  limestone  was  encountered.  An  in- 
crease in  water  is  recorded  at  the  depth  of  200  feet,  from  which 
depth  the  first  flowing  water  is  reported.  The  well  samples  in- 
dicate that  this  flow  comes  from  a  very  hard,  bluish  colored  rock 
and  water-worn  small  pebbles.  Immediately  on  passing  through 
this  stratum,  which  was  19  feet  in  thickness,  the  Vicksburg  Lime- 
stone was  reached,  as  is  shown  by  the  presence  of  Nummulites. 
This  determination  was  made  from  a  very  complete  set  of  samples 
of  the  drillings  from  this  well,  kindly  saved  by  the  driller,  Mr. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        193 

R.  C.  Walker.  This  limestone  was  penetrated  for  nearly  100  feet, 
the  total  depth  of  the  well  being  318  feet.  The  following  is  a 
log  of  this  well,  constructed  from  the  notes  and  the  samples  sent 
in  by  Mr.  Walker : 

Feet. 

Surface  sand,  yellow  in  color.     Soft  water  0-  18 

Light  gray  sands  18-  30 

Dark  gray  sands,  partly  indurated ;  some  clay  30-  44 

Shell,  sand  and  gravel   44-  55 

Very  dark  (almost  black)  marl,  similar  in  appearance 

to  Miocene  marls,  including  shell  fragments  55-  63 

Light  greenish  sandy  marl   63-  80 

Dark  green  marl,  small  shark's  tooth  observed 80-100 

Gray  sand  and  shell  fragments ;  water  100-112 

Gray  sand  and  shell,  water,  shark's  tooth,  also  minute 

black  phosphatic  pebbles  112-133 

Blue  clayey  marl    133-135 

No  sample  135-153 

Blue  marl  with  inclusions  of  black  phosphatic  pebbles  ....153-174 

Blue  clayey  limestone ;  water-bearing  174-175 

Dark  green  marl  with  some  black  phosphatic  pebbles  175-200 

Very  hard  bluish  colored  rock,  and  water-worn  small 
pebbles ;  water  commenced  to  flow  upon  pene- 
trating this  stratum  200-219 

Limestone,  Vicksburg  as  indicated  by  the  presence  of 

Nummulites 219-318 

ROY. 

Roy  is  located  on  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway,  about  six 
miles  inland  from  the  St.  Johns  River.  One  deep  well  is  reported 
from  this  place.  This  is  a  four-inch  well  drilled  by  Mr.  S.  I. 
Killingsworth  for  Mr.  L-  J.  Campbell.  The  well  has  a  total  depth 
of  298  feet  and  is  cased  150  feet.  The  flow  is  reported  to  rise 
four  feet  above  the  surface. 

ST.  AUGUSTINE. 

St.  Augustine,  the  county  seat  of  St.  Johns  County,  is  located 
on  Matanzas  Bay.  An  abundance  of  flowing  water  is  obtained 
at  this  place.  Probably  not  less  than  100  wells  occur  in  and  near 


194  I'LQRIOA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

St.  Augustine.  Of  this  large  number  it  is  possible  to  mention 
only  a  few. 

The  first  considerable  flow  in  and  near  St.  Augustine  is  ob- 
tained at  a  depth  of  from  170  to  180  feet  after  drilling  through 
a  five-  or  ten-foot  stratum  of  dense  hard  rock.  The  material 
penetrated  before  reaching  this  hard  rock  stratum  consists  largely 
of  sand  near  the  surface,  followed  by  'blue  clays  with  some  shell 
and  occasional  thin  layers  of  rock.  A  shell  stratum  often  de- 
scribed as  "coquina"  occurs  at  a  depth  of  about  60  feet. 

The  material  below  the  depth  of  about  180  feet  consists  of 
alternating  hard  and  soft  strata,  largely  limestones,  with  probably 
occasional  flints.  The  flow  of  water  increases  as  the  limestone  is 
penetrated.  The  chief  large  increase  of  flow  occurs  at  a  depth 
of  about  520  feet  and  most  of  the  wells  at  St.  Augustine  terminate 
at  this  depth. 

\Yater  for  the  city  of  St.  Augustine  is  obtained  from  two  ar- 
tesian wells  located  about  one  mile  north  of  the  city.  Well  No.  1 
was  drilled  in  1897  by  Mr.  Hugh  Partridge  and  had  originally 
a  depth  of  371  feet.  About  1903  this  well  was  deepened  to  a 
total  depth  of  550  feet.  The  well  is  12  inches  in  diameter  for 
354  feet;  9  inches  for  17  feet,  and  four  inches  for  179  feet.  It  is 
reported  cased  to  a  depth  of  100  feet.  The  head  of  the  water  is 
given  as  33  feet  above  the  surface  or  about  38  feet  above  sea 
level.  The  flow  of  the  well  when  first  drilled  in  1897  was  2,396,- 
000  gallons  per  day  (1,664  gallons  per  minute). 

Well  No.  2  is  a  10-inch  well  and  has  a  total  depth  of  500  feet. 
It  is  cased  about  140  feet.  The  head  of  the  water  is  the  same  as 
well  No.  1  or  about  38  feet  above  sea.  The  total  flow  of  this 
well  is  not  recorded.  This  well  was  drilled  in  1903  bv  Mr.  Horace 
Walker. 

The  water  system  at  St.  Augustine  is  now  owned  by  the  city. 
Formerly  the  city  was  supplied  by  five  artesian  wells,  the  system 
then  being  under  private  ownership.  These  wells  were  located 
in  various  parts  of  the  city.  They  vary  in  depth  from  250  to  500 
et  and  range  from  6  to  8  inches  in  diameter.  The  first  of  these 
wells  was  drilled  in  18SJ.  They  are  now  in  use  as  private  wells. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        195 

Several  wells  have  been  drilled  at  St.  Augustine  to  supply 
water  to  the  Ponce  de  Leon  and  other  hotels  of  the  Florida  East 
Coast  Hotel  Company.  One  of  these,  commonly  known  as  the 
Ponce  de  Leon  well,  reached  a  total  depth  of  1,440  feet,  and  is 
the  deepest  well  in  St.  Johns  County.  The  following  log  of  this 
well  has  been  made  up  from  records  kindly  supplied  by  Messrs. 
McGuire  &  McDonald,  under  whose  direction  the  well  was 
drilled,  supplemented  by  a  partial  set  of  samples  from  the  boring. 
The  original  intention  was  to  go  to  a  depth  of  about  3,000  feet 
:n  the  expectation  of  obtaining  warm  water.  The  well  was  begun 
November  27,  1886,  and  drilling  continued  until  February  24 
of  the  following  year.  Owing  to  delay  caused  by  the  loss  of  the 
drill,  boring  was  finally  discontinued  at  the  depth  of  about  1,440 
feet. 

Feet. 
Sand.   Temperature  of  the  water  at  35  feet,  GO  degrees  F.         0-     35 

Sand,  with  some  shell 35-     50 

Blue  clay 50-     57 

Shell    57-     65 

Sand    65-     76 

Indurated  clay  and  sand 76-     95 

Blue  clay  and  black  sand,  pieces  of  hard  stone.  Tem- 
perature of  the  water  72  degrees  at  110  feet,  74 
degrees  at  170  feet.  Head  32  feet  above  sea.  Sul- 
phur water,  50  gallons  per  minute  at  170  feet 95-170 

Hard  rock.     Temperature   of   water   76   degrees   at    177 

feet.     Flow  350  gallons  per  minute  at  177  feet 170-  177 

Limestone.     Flow  1,800  gallons  per  minute  at  350  feet..     177-  350 
Limestone.      Temperature    of   water   76    degrees    at    410 

feet.     Flow  of  2,083  gallons  per  minute  at  410  feet. .     350-  410 

Limestone    410-  495 

Dense  light  brown  limestone.  Temperature  of  water  79 
degrees  at  520  feet.  Head  42  feet  above  sea  at  520 
feet.  Flow  of  4,860  gallons  per  minute  at  520  feet.  .  495-  520 

White  "chalk,"  green  clay,  dark  porous  limestone 520-  557 

Limestone  557-  675 

Hard  rock   675-  685 

Limestone    685-  770 

Limestone,  gray  to  light  yellow 770-  960 

Thin  stratum  of  hard  limestone,  followed  by  limestone 
similar  to  above.  Temperature  of  water  80  degrees 


196  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

at  1,110  feet.     Flow  of  6,075  gallons  per  minute  at 

1,110  feet  960-1110 

Hard  rock,  said  to  be  sandstone,  with  some  flint 1110-1140 

Material  not  recorded  1140-1170 

"Sandstone,"  followed  by  limestone.  Temperature  of 

water  85  degrees  at  1,225  feet 1170-1225 

Limestone,  as  above  1225-1278 

"Sandstone."  Sample  not  seen 1278-1293 

Fossiliferous  limestone  1293-1340 

Fossiliferous  limestone,  easily  penetrated.  Temperature 

of  water  86  degrees  at  1,340  feet 1340-1390 

Denser  limestone 1390-1440 

The  following  is  a  log  of  the  well  of  Mr.  W.  J.  Sherman. 
This  well  was  drilled  by  the  owner  in  1886  and  is  210  feet  deep. 
It  is  two  inches  in  diameter  and  is  cased  110  feet.  The  head  is 
reported  to  be  32  feet  above  sea  and  the  flow  about  80  gallons  per 
minute : 

Feet. 
Sand  0     „     5 

White  quicksand  g        -M 

Clay .'i. "'.!!»."!.'.'!..'.';.'.".'.'.".'."  11  ~-uy2 

Coarse  pebbles  and  some  shells HT/2-  43 

Coarse  gray  to  greenish  sands,  water-bearing;  slight  flow  43    -  45 

White  plastic  clay  and  fine  sand ; .  45     _  90 

Greenish  clay,  very  compact  90-14? 


-143 


Greenish  clay  with  a  mixture  of  black  sand 143     -173 

Hard  rock ;  water  rises  32  to  37  feet  above  sea. ...  179     _180 

White  chalk  rock  (probably  Vicksburg)   '.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.180    -210 

SWITZERLAND. 

Switzerland  is  located  in  the  area  of  artesian  flow  on  the  St. 
River,  m  the  northwestern  part  of  St.  Johns  County     Wells 
locality  reach  a  depth  of  from  350  to  500  feet,'  and  the 
r  is  reported  to  rise  29  to  30  feet  above  the  surface. 

YELVINGTON. 

two  wells  have  been  obtained  from  and  near  Yel- 
No.  1  is  located  near  Yelvington  depot  and  is 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN   FLORIDA.         197 

owned  by  E.  L.  Campbell.  This  well  was  drilled  by  Frank  Bart- 
lett  in  1909  and  reached  a  total  depth  of  352  feet.  It  is  reported 
as  having  95  feet  of  four-inch  casing.  The  head  of  this  well  was 
measured  D«cember  11,  1909.  The  water  was  found  to  stand  at 
this  time  ll/2  feet  below  the  surface. 

Well  No.  2  is  located  one  mile  west  of  Yelvington  depot.  It 
is  a  four-inch  well  and  is  owned  by  Campbell  &  Killingsworth. 
This  well  was  drilled  in  1907  by  S.  I.  Killingsworth  and  is  re- 
ported to  be  300  feet  deep  and  cased  180  feet.  The  water  is  said 
to  stand  two  feet  below  the  surface. 

CLAY  COUNTY. 
LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

Clay  County  has  a  varied  topography.  The  eastern  portion, 
bordering  the  St.  Johns  River,  is  low  and  flat  and  consists  largely 
of  open  pine  woods.  Extending  westward  from  the  river  the 
elevation  rises  and  the  country  becomes  more  rolling.  The  county 
is  intersected  by  a  number  of  streams,  the  largest  of  which  is 
Black  Creek,  a  tributary  to  the  St.  Johns  River.  This  stream  is 
navigable  for  small  boats  to  or  above  Middleburg,  at  which  point 
it  divides,  forming  the  north  and  south  forks.  The  north  fork 
rises  in  Lake  Kingsley,  and  with  its  tributaries  drains  the  north- 
western part  of  the  county.  The  south  fork  rises  in  Blue  Pond 
and  other  lakes  and  drains  the  central  part  of  the  county.  In  the 
southwestern  part  of  the  county  many  small  lakes  occur. 

The  elevations  in  this  county  have  been  obtained  from  the 
levels  made  by  the  railroads  crossing  the  county,  including  the 
Seaboard  Air  Line,  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  and  the  Georgia 
Southern  and  Florida  Railway.  In  addition  levels  made  during 
1909  by  the  U.  S.  engineers  in  connection  with  a  preliminary 
survey  for  a  ship  canal  have  been  available.  These  levels  show 
that  the  water  level  in  Lake  Kingsley  stood  at  the  time  the  levels 
were  made  170  feet  above  sea.  The  measurements  of  depth  show 
that  this  lake  averages  58  to  60  feet,  although  one  place  was  found 
at  which  the  depth  exceeded  78  feet,  the  full  length  of  the  sound- 


198  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

ing  line.  The  country  surrounding  this  lake  stands  at  or  about 
175  feet  above  sea.  According  to  the  levels  made  by  the  Seaboard 
Air  kine- Railway  the  town  of  Highland,  in  the  northwestern  part 
of  the  county,  stands  210  feet  above  sea.  Newburg*and  Brook- 
lyn, in  the  lake  region  of  the  southwestern  part  of  the  county, 
have  elevations,  as  recorded  by  the  Georgia  Southern  and  Florida 
Railway,  of  155  and  157  feet,  respectively. 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

Most  of  the  flowing  wells  of  Clay  County  terminate  in  the 
Vicksburg  Limestone.  The  first  flow  at  Green  Cove  Springs,  in 
the  eastern  part  of  the  county,  is  obtained  at  a  depth  of  from 
325  to  400  feet. 

The  Miocene  formations  underlie  much  if  not  all  of  Clay 
County.  In  the  pit  of  Union  Brick  Company,  at  Middleburg,  the 
following  section  was  observed : 

Feet. 

Loose  sand  and  soil 1 

Sandy  clays  oxidized  red   7 

Blue  sticky  clay,  comparatively  free  from  sand 1C 

Light-colored  sands  3 

The  clay  exposed  in  this  pit  is  probably  the  same  as  the  clays 
in  the  clay  pit  near  Jacksonville.  Beneath  these  clays,  as  indi- 
cated by  well  borings,  calcareous  and  phosphatic  Miocene  rocks 
are  encountered.  This  part  of  the  Miocene,  the  Jacksonville  for- 
mation, is  exposed  at  many  localities  along  Black  Creek  and  its 
tributaries.  The  section  exposed  at  High  Bluff,  on  the  south 
fork  of  Black  Creek,  about  five  miles  above  'Middleburg,  has 
already  been  given. 

Other  exposures  of  this  formation  were  noted  at  the  following 
localities  along  the  river.  At  Fowler's  Landing,  on  the  south 
fork  of  Black  Creek,  three  miles  above  Middleburg,  fifteen  feet 
of  the  Jacksonville  formation  is  exposed.  At  Buddington's  Land- 
ing, one  and  one-half  miles  above  Middleburg,  seventeen  feet  of 
the  Jacksonville  formation  is  exposed.  Hogan's  Landing,  just 
below  Middleburg,  shows  twenty-eight  feet  of  the  Jacksonville 


WATER  SUPPLY  Of  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        199 


formation.    A  bluff  at  the  mouth  of  the  south  fork  shows  twenty- 
five  feet  of  the  Jacksonville  formation.    A  bluff  on  the  north  bank 


Fig.  8.— Map  showing  the  areas  of  artesian  flow  in  Clay  and  Putnam 
Counties.  The  area  in  which  flowing  wells  can  be  obtained  is  indicated 
by  shading. 


200  FLORIDA  STATE;  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

of  the  north   forks,   one   and   one-half  miles   from    Middleburg, 
shows  three  feet  of  the  Jacksonville  formation. 

AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW  IN  CLAY  COUNTY. 

The  area  of  artesian  flow  in  Clay  County  is  confined  to  that 
portion  bordering  the  St.  Johns  River  and  its  tributaries.  As  has 
already  been  stated,  upon  leaving  these  streams  the  elevation  soon 
becomes  too  great  for  a  flow  to  be  obtained.  The  location  of 
successful  flowing  wells,  together  with  the  consideration  of  the 
elevation,  will  aid  in  the  determination  of  the  flowing  and  non- 
flowing  sections  in  the  county.  The  flowing  area  in  this  county 
is  outlined  on  the  accompanying  map : 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 
DOCTORS  INLET. 

A  well  owned  by  D.  D.  Denham  and  drilled  in  1908  by  D.  C. 
Stafford  is  located  near  Doctors  Inlet.  This  is  a  four-inch  well, 
372  feet  deep,  in  which  the  water  is  said  to  rise  twelve  to  fifteen 
feet  above  the  surface. 

A  second  well,  two  and  a  half  miles  east  of  Doctors  Inlet,  was 
drilled  by  H.  Mervin  for  Messrs.  DeLoach  &  Edwards  in  1907. 
This  is  a  three-inch  well  and  is  400  feet  deep.  It  is  reported  cased 
120  feet  and  the  water  is  said  to  rise  twelve  feet  above  the  sur- 
face. Blue  marl  or  clay  from  the  depth  of  198  to  398  feet  is  re- 
ported as  encountered  in  this  well.  Immediately  below  this  blue 
marl  or  clay  the  first  :hard  rock  was  struck. 

GREEN  COVE  SPRINGS. 

Green  Cove  Springs,  the  county  seat  of  Clay  County,  is  sup- 
plied with  water  from  two  artesian  wells.  These  wells  are  under 
private  ownership.  One  is  owned  by  N.  B.  Ivey,  the  other  by 
O.  A.  Buddington.  The  well  owned  by  Mr.  Ivey  is  815  feet 
deep,  four  inches  in  diameter,  and  cased  556  feet.  The  well  is 
reported  to  have  a  head  of  23  feet  above  the  surface.  The  eleva- 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        201 

tion  of  the  well  above  the  St.  Johns  River  is  given  as  24  feet, 
thus  giving  the  well  a  total  head  of  47  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  water  in  the  St.  Johns  River.  The  first  flow  in  this  well  was 
encountered  at  a  depth  of  400  feet. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well  drawn 
January  6,  1910.  Analysis  made  for  the  State  Survey  in  the 
office  of  the  State  Chemist,  A.  M.  Henry,  analyst : 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Silica    (SiO2)    7 

Chlorine    (Cl)    9 

Sulphates    (SO4)    1 

Phosphates  (PC>4)   0 

Carbonates   (CO3)    0 

Bicarbonates    (HCO3)    JT7 

Magnesium  (Mg)   4 

Calcium    (Ca)    16 

Iron  and  Alumina   (Fe  and  Al) Trace 

Loss  on  Ignition  07 

Total  dissolved  solids  155 

Aside  from  the  above  well,  the  following  two  records  of  wells 
have  been  obtained :  A  well  on  the  property  of  Mrs.  George  Hal- 
liday  (known  as  the  Borden  estate),  is  825  feet  deep  and  six 
inches  in  diameter.  The  head  is  reported  as  25  feet  above  the 
surface.  A  little  southeast  of  this  well  is  one  owned  by  L.  A. 
Hamilton.  This  has  a  reported  depth  of  785  feet,  is  six  inches 
in  diameter  and  is  cased.  100  feet.  The  'head  is  given  as  25  feet 
above  the  surface.  A  well  four  and  one-half  miles  southwest  of 
Green  Cove  Springs,  drilled  by  H.  Mervin  in  1907  for  the  La  Villa 
Turpentine  Company,  is  non-flowing.  This  well  contains  128  feet 
of  three-inch  casing  and  320  feet  of  two-inch  casing.  It  is  406 
feet  deep  and  the  water  stands  1?  feet  below  the  surface.  The 
first  rock  noted  in  this  well  was  at  a  depth  of  170  feet. 

A  well  directly  east  of  Green  Cove  Springs  and  across  the 
St.  Johns  River  is  owned  by  W.  A.  Hallows.  This  well  was 
drilled  by  N.  B.  Ivey  and  is  used  for  irrigation  and  general  do- 
mestic purposes.  It  is  500  feet  deep,  six  inches  in  diameter  and 
is  cased  about  200  feet.  The  water  is  reported  to  rise  35  feet 
above  the  surface. 


202  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Another  well  owned  by  N.  B.  Ivey  is  located  about  two  miles 
southwest  of  Green  Cove  Springs.  This  well  is  used  for  irriga- 
tion and  was  sunk  by  the  owner  in  1907.  It  is  a  four-inch  well 
and  is  reported  to  be  500  feet  deep.  At  this  depth  the  water  is 
reported  to  rise  five  feet  above  the  surface. 

HIBERNIA. 

One  well  is  reported  from  Hibernia.  This  well  was  com- 
menced July  20,  1885,  and  was  finished  in  October  of  the  same 
year.  It  was  drilled  by  O.  H.  Wade  for  F.  A.  Fleming.  The 
well  is  468  feet  deep,  four  inches  in  diameter  and  is  cased  377 
feet.  This  well  when  first  drilled,  in  1885,  had  a  pressure  of  23 
pounds.  Unfortunately,  when  visited  in  January,  1910,  the 
pressure  could  not  be  obtained.  The  elevation  of  the  well  is 
about  25  feet  above  the  St.  Johns  River.  A  pressure  of  23 
pounds  will  cause  the  water  to  rise  53.1  feet  above  the  surface, 
or  about  68.1  feet  above  the  St.  Johns  River.  The  first  water- 
bearing stratum  in  this  well  was  reported  at  a  depth  of  400  feet, 
and  the  first  rock  noted  was  at  a  depth  of  120  feet. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well  drawn 
December  17,  1909.  Analysis  made  for  the  State  Survey  in  the 
office  of  the  State  Chemist,  A.  M.  Henry,  analyst: 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Silica  (SiO2)   9 

Chlorine   (Cl) 7 

Sulphates   (SO4)    ...... ..!.. ..... .  5 

Phosphates    (PO4)    '.'.'.'.'.'.  0 

Carbonates  (CO3)   '.'.'.'.'.'.  0 

Bicarbonates    (HCO3)    ''  '     98 

Sodium  and  potassium  (Na  and  K) '     23 

Magnesium    (Mg)    

Calcium   (Ca)    '        . 

Iron  and  alumina  (Fe  and  Al) Trace 

Loss  of  ignition   

Total  dissolved  solids 1*2 

LEND. 

There  are  two  deep  wells  at  Leno,  owned  by  the  Leno  Tur- 
pentine Company,  and  drilled  in  1903  by  H.  Mervin.  One  well, 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        203 

404  feet  deep,  is  four  inches  in  diameter  and  the  water  stood 
when  measured  January  6,  1910,  12.5  feet  from  the  surface.  The 
second  well  is  two  inches  in  diameter  and  220  feet  deep.  The 
water  is  reported  to  stand  at  about  the  same  level. 

MAGNOLIA  SPRINGS. 

Magnolia  Springs,  a  station  on  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  Rail- 
road, one  mile  north  of  Green  Cove  Springs,  takes  its  name 
from  a  small  spring  located  along  the  western  bank  of  the  St. 
Johns  River.  A  four-inch  well  owned  by  O.  D.  Seavey,  pro- 
prietor the  Magnolia  Springs  Hotel,  was  sunk  by  W.  J.  Sher- 
man in  1882.  This  well  is  said  to  be  325  feet  deep  and  flows 
several  feet  above  the  surface,  although  the  exact  head  could 
not  be  obtained.  This  water  is  bottled  and  sold  as  a  medicinal 
and  table  water.  The  following  analysis  shows  the  mineral  con- 
stituents. Analysis  by  C.  F.  Chandler,  Ph.  D.,  School  of  Mines, 
Columbia  College,  New  York,  N.  Y. : 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Sulphate  of  potash   Trace 

Sulphate  of  lime   21.3 

Chloride  of  sodium    14.4 

Carbonate  of  soda  26.1 

Carbonate  of  lime  40.4 

Oxide  of  iron  and  alumina Traces 

Silica    31.0 

Organic  and  volatile  matter  16.4 

190.4 

Two  other  wells  occur  on  this  same  property,  but  a  record 
of  these  was  not  obtained.  They  are  both  reported  to  furnish 
an  abundant  supply  of  water  and  are  used  for  general  household 
purposes. 

MIDDLEBURG. 

Middleburg  lies  in  the  north-central  portion  of  Clay  County, 
just  at  the  point  where  Black  Creek  divides,  forming  the  north 
and  south  forks.  There  are  several  flowing  wells  in  the  vicinity 
of  Middleburg.  The  wells  vary  in  depth  from  355  to  498  feet. 


204  FLORIDA  STAT£  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

The  498-foot  well  is  owned  by  George  A.  Chalker  and  was  drilled 
in  1907  by  D.  C.  Stafford.  The  well  is  six  inches  in  diameter 
at  the  top  and  one  and  a  quarter  inches  at  the  bottom.  The  pres- 
sure of  this  well  as  indicated  by  the  pressure  gauge,  January  10, 
1910,  was  18.5  pounds,  or  a  pressure  sufficient  to  cause  the  water 
to  rise  42.7  feet  above  the  surface.  The  elevation  of  the  well  is 
approximately  24  feet  above  the  level  of  the  water  in  Black 
Creek;  thus,  with  the  head  of  42.7  feet  above  the  surface,  would 
give  the  well  a  total  head  of  67.7  feet  above  the  water  in  Black 
Creek.  The  temperature  of  the  water  at  the  point  of  overflow 
was  reported  as  72°  F.  The  first  rock  of  which  note  was  made 
was  at  a  depth  of  68  feet. 

The  well  of  C.  C.  Howard,  two  miles  northeast  of  Middle- 
burg,  has  a  depth  of  490  feet.  The  well  was  bored  by  D.  C. 
Stafford  in  1907,  is  cased  80  feet,  and  is  four  inches  in  diameter. 
The  pressure  of  this  well  could  not  be  taken,  but  it  is  reported 
to  have  a  head  of  21  feet  above  the  surface. 

Another  well,  two  and  a  half  miles  northwest  of  Middleburg^ 
was  sunk  by  D.  C.  Stafford  for  Messrs.  Long  &  Buddington,  in 
1907.  The  exact  depth  of  this  well  could  not  be  obtained,  but 
it  was  reported  to  have  a  depth  of  about  370  feet.  The  well 
flows  and  gives  an  abundant  supply  of  water,  but  measurement 
of  the  head  could  not  foe  made. 

In  addition  to  the  above  wells  is  one  eight  and  one-half  miles 
northwest  of  Middleburg,  or  six  miles  southeast  of  Maxville,  on 
the  west  bank  of  Yellow  Water  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the  north 
fork  of  Black  Creek.  This  well  is  located  in  the  northwest  part 
of  the  northwest  quarter  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  Section  17, 
Township  4,  Range  24  east.  It  is  owned  by  Messrs.  Long  & 
Buddington,  and  is  said  to  be  370  feet  deep.  It  is  a  three-inch 
well  and  was  drilled  in  1907  by  D.  C.  Stafford.  The  head  of 
this  well  is  reported  to  be  30  feet  above  the  surface  and  the  first 
flow  encountered  was  at  a  depth  of  44  feet  in  a  stratum  of  black 
pebbles. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        205 
PEORIA. 

A  deep  well  was  put  down  by  Mr.  Joseph  Doyle  at  Peoria. 
This  well  was  drilled  to  a  total  depth  of  498  feet.  The  water 
rises  to  the  surface,  giving  a  slight  flow.  The  well  is  located  about 
one-half  mile  west  of  Peoria  station  and  on  the  ridge  probably 
40  or  50  feet  above  the  St.  Johns  River. 

RUSSELL. 

One  flowing  well  is  reported  from  Russell.  This  well  is  now 
owned  by  the  Florida  Farmers'  Land  Company  and  was  drilled 
by  L.  J.  Campbell.  The  well  flows  several  feet  above  the  sur- 
face, but  a  measurement  could  not  be  made  and  information  in 
regard  to  the  depth  and  size  was  not  procured.  It  is  used  for 
general  drinking  purposes. 

WALKILL. 

A  deep  well  at  Walkill,  drilled  by  H.  Mervin  in  1903  for 
E.  B.  Willcoxon  &  Company,  reached  a  total  depth  of  352  feet. 
This  well  contains  128  feet  of  three-inch  casing  and  330  feet  of 
two-inch  casing.  The  water  is  reported  to  rise  25  feet  above  the 
surface. 

WEST  TOCOI. 

A  record  of  one  well  has  been  obtained  from  West  Tocoi. 
This  is  a  three-inch  well,  reported  to  have  a  depth  of  313  feet, 
and  is  owned  by  the  R.  W.  Mattox  Company.  The  head  of  this 
well  is  given  as  21  feet  above  the  surface. 

WILLIAMS  CROSSING. 

Messrs.  De  Loach  and  Edwards  have  one  deep  well  at  Wil- 
liams Crossing.  This  well  is  395  feet  deep  and  is  three  inches 
in  diameter  and  was  sunk  by  H.  Mervin  in  June,  1907.  The 
pressure  of  this  well,  as  shown  by  the  pressure  gauge,  January 


206  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

6,  1910,  was  eight  and  one-half  pounds  or  a  pressure  sufficient  to 
cause  the  water  to  rise  19.6  feet  above  the  surface. 

PUTNAM  COUNTY. 

LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

Putnam  County  lies  bordering  the  St.  Johns  River.  On  the 
north  it  joins  Clay  County,  and  on  the  south  Marion  and  Volusia 
Counties.  The  total  area  of  the  county  is  772  square  miles.  The 
elevation  increases  inland  from  the  St.  Johns  River.  At  Flora- 
home,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county,  along  the  line  of  the 
Georgia  Southern  and  Florida  Railway,  an  elevation  is  reached 
of  150  feet.  On  the  Rochelle  branch  of  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line 
Railroad  an  elevation  of  105  feet  occurs  at  Interlachen,  in  the 
central  part  of  the  county.  That  part  of  the  county  bordering 
the  St.  Johns  River  includes  palmetto  flatwoods  and  some  open 
flatwoods.  Much  of  the  southern  and  western  part  of  the  county 
is  occupied  by  the  lake  region,  many  small,  beautiful  lakes  oc- 
curring in  this  section. 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

The  data  regarding  the  formations  reached  by  the  wells  in 
Putnam  County  is  very  meager,  owing  to  the  fact  that  few  well 
samples  'have  been  preserved. 

After  passing  through  the  superficial  sands  in  this  county, 
calcareous  clay  and  sands  are  reached,  in  which  are  imbedded 
black  phosphatic  pebbles  and  water-worn  gravels.  From  such 
imperfect  information  as  has  been  obtained  it  seems  probable 
that  some  of  the  wells  terminate  in  this  formation  and  do  not 
reach  the  Vicksburg  Limestone.  The  log  of  a  well  at  Orange 
Mills,  which  terminated  in  loose,  clear-grained  sand  at  a  depth 
of  160  feet,  is  given  on  a  subsequent  page.  A  second  well  within 
a  half-mile  of  this  well  apparently  reached  the  Vicksburg  Lime- 
stone at  or  about  the  depth  of  160  feet.  Samples  from  the  well 
of  B.  F.  Dotney,  at  San  Mateo,  drilled  in  1909,  by  H.  Mervin, 
show  the  presence  of  black  phosphatic  pebbles  as  deep  at  least 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        207 

as  175  or  180  feet.  At  a  depth  of  315  feet  light-colored  calcare- 
ous sands  were  penetrated.  It  is  probable,  as  these  wells  seem 
to  indicate,  that  the  Vicksburg  Limestone  here,  as  at  some  other 
localities,  has  a  very  irregular  top  surface. 

AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW  IN  PUTNAM  COUNTY. 

The  flowing  area  of  Putnam  County  includes  a  relatively 
narrow  strip  bordering  the  St.  Johns  River  and  its  tributaries. 
Upon  leaving  the  river  the  elevation  rises  and  flowing  wells  are 
not  obtained.  The  flowing  area  in  this  county  is  indicated  by 
shading  on  the  map. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 
BOSTWICK. 

Flowing  wells  are  obtained  at  Bostvvick.  A  three-inch  well, 
drilled  in  1904  for  J.  W.  Glisson  by  H.  Mervin,  reached  a  total 
depth  of  248  feet.  This  well  is  reported  cased  60  feet  and  the 
water  is  reported  to  rise  18  feet  above  the  surface. 

Another  well  three  and  one-half  miles  northeast  of  Bostwick 
was  drilled  in  1906.  This  well  is  now  owned  by  the  R.  W.  Mat- 
tox  Company  and  is  used  for  the  general  supply  around  the  tur- 
pentine camp.  It  is  a  three-inch  well  and  reached  a  total  depth 
of  215  feet. 

CRESCENT  CITY. 

Crescent  City  lies  in  southeastern  Putnam  County,  on  the 
western  shore  of  Crescent  Lake.  Immediately  along  this  west- 
ern border  flowing  wells  are  obtained. 

The  first  flow  of  water  at  this  locality  is  obtained  from  a 
shell  stratum  lying  from  30  to  60  feet  below  the  surface.  Most 
of  the  wells  at  Crescent  City  terminate  at  this  depth.  In  some 
instances  this  shell  stratum  is  reported  absent  and  in  such  cases 
the  water  is  reported  as  coming  from  a  very  fine  sand.  The 
water  from  this  depth  is  usually  more  or  less  hard  and  is  impreg- 


208  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

nated  with  hydrogen  sulphide  gas.  These  wells  are  reported  to 
have  a  head  of  about  15  or  16  feet  above  the  surface. 

The  second  flow  in  and  near  Crescent  City  is  obtained  at  a 
depth  of  about  300  to  316  feet.  From  the  immediate  vicinity  of 
Crescent  Lake  westward  to  the  St.  Johns  River  flowing  wells 
are  not  obtained.  The  intervening  country  includes  rolling,  sandy 
hills.  Surface  wells,  terminating  in  the  sands  and  sandy  clays 
furnish  an  abundant  supply  of  soft  water. 

Aside  from  the  use  of  private  wells,  Crescent  City  is  supplied 
with  water  from  four  artesian  wells.  The  water  supply  system 
is  under  private  ownership.  Two  of  the  wells  are  two  inches  in 
diameter,  while  one  is  six  inches  in  diameter.  They  are  all  re- 
ported as  reaching  a  depth  of  approximately  316  feet,  and  cased 
about  100  feet.  The  wells  are  located  on  Crescent  Lake  and  have 
approximately  the  same  elevation.  The  head  is  reported  26  feet 
above  the  surface  or  about  27  feet  above  the  level  of  the  water 
in  Crescent  Lake.  In  addition  to  supplying  the  town  the  flow 
from  one  two-inch  well  is  used  for  condensing  purposes  and  for 
the  manufacture  of  ice.  Part  of  the  flow  from  the  other  three 
wells  is  used  for  power  to  run  an  overshot  wheel,  which  in  turn 
runs  a  pump,  pumping  the  surplus  flow  of  water  to  a  reservoir 
or  tank  where  the  water  is  distributed  to  different  parts  of  the 
city  by  gravity. 

ORANGE  MILLS. 

Orange  Mills  is  located  on  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway, 
midway  between  Hastings  and  East  Palatka.  The  wells  in  this 
vicinity  are  used  for  the  purpose  of  irrigation.  The  depth  of 
e  wells  range  from  143  to  200  feet.  All  of  the  wells  of  which 
record  has  been  obtained  are  four  inches  in  diameter.  The  length 
of  casing  used  in  the  wells  averages  60  feet. 

Four  wells  drilled  for  J.  H.  Bahrenberg  &  Brother  by  N   H 

nek  in  December,  1909,  gave  the  following  pressure:     Well 

L  *  143  feet  deep  and  is  cased  65  feet.    The  pressure  of  this 

-s  shown  by  the  pressure  gauge  December  4,  1909,  was  5% 

pounds.    Well  No.  2  is  160  feet  deep  and  is  cased  ?"4  feet.    The 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        209 

pressure  December  4,  1909,  was  0^2  pounds.  Well  No.  3  is  219 
feet  deep  and  is  cased  54  feet.  The  pressure  of  this  well  on  the 
same  day  was  5>4  pounds.  Well  No.  4  is  160  feet  deep  and  is 
cased  58  feet.  This  well  was  not  finished  at  the  time  the  pressure 
of  wells  Nos.  1,  2  and  3  was  taken.  As  will  be  seen  from  the 
a'bove  records  the  pressure  in  the  case  of  these  three  wells  di- 
minished with  depth.  In  this  respect  the  wells  are  exceptional. 
The  amount  of  flow  of  these  three  wells  was  not  obtained.  The 
following  is  the  record  of  well  No.  4,  made  from  the  samples 
kindly  kept  by  the  driller : 

Feet. 

Sand    0-    5 

Olive  green  calcareous  clay,  with  black  phosphatic  pebbles 
and  fragments  of  shell,  and  flattened  water-worn 

gravels 5-  40 

No  sample   40-  45 

Similar  or  somewhat  more  calcareous  green  clay  or  clayey 
marl.  This  sample  contains  occasional  fragments 

of  chert    45-  80 

This  sample  contains  the  black  phosphatic  water-worn 
pebbles  in  greater  number  than  the  above  sample. 
Clear  quartz  grains  are  numerous.  Flattened,  water- 
worn  siliceous  pebbles  up  to  size  lxl/2  inches  occur...  80-  90 
In  this  sample  clear  quartz  grains  predominate.  These  are 
mixed  with  gray  sand  grains.  Calcareous  gray  sand 
nodules  occur,  water-worn  chert  gravels  are  present, 
also  numerous  large,  water-worn  chert  fragments....  90-113 

No  sample  113-115 

Loose,  clear-grained  sand  in  mass  appearing  light  gray  and 
contains  a  small  amount  of  calcareous  matter  in  the 
form  of  fragments  of  shell 115-160 

PALATKA. 

Palatka,  the  county  seat  of  Putnam  County,  is  located  on  the 
St.  Johns  River,  55  miles  south  of  Jacksonville.  The  elevation 
of  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  depot,  as  recorded  by  the  U.  S.  Coast 
and  Geodetic  Survey,  is  thirteen  feet  above  sea.  -Records  from 
35  wells  'have  been  obtained  from  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Palatka. 

The  first  flowing  water  encountered  at  Palatka  is  obtained 
from  a  shell  stratum  at  a  depth  varying  from  30  to  60  feet  A 


210  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

great  many  wells  in  the  city  terminate  at  this  depth.  The  water 
from  this  formation  is  more  or  less  hard,  but  is  not  so  strongly 
impregnated  with  hydrogen  sulphide  gas  as  is  the  water  from 
the  deeper  water-bearing  formations. 

These  more  shallow  wells  at  one  time  ceased  to  flow  and 
pumps  had  to  be  resorted  to.  When  the  deeper  wells  were  put 
in,  the  shallow  wells  in  this  vicinity  commenced  flowing  again. 
As  an  instance  of  this,  the  well  now  owned  by  Messrs.  L.  H. 
and  W.  A.  Merryday  and  located  in  the  yard  of  the  Putnam 
House,  may  be  cited.  This  is  a  two-inch  well  and  is  50  feet 
deep.  It  is  reported  as  being  cased  the  total  depth.  The  well 
flowed  when  first  put  in,  but  in  subsequent  years  had  ceased  to 
flow.  During  the  year  1908  Mr.  H.  Mervin  drilled  a  four-inch 
well  for  Dr.  G.  E.  Welch  about  two  blocks  to  the  north.  This 
well  reached  a  total  depth  of  220  feet  and  is  reported  cased  120 
feet.  Immediately  on  the  completion  of  this  well  the  Merryday 
well  commenced  to  flow.  This  seems  to  indicate  that  these  wells 
are  supplied  with  water  through  leakage  from  the  wells  reaching 
the  deeper  water-bearing  strata. 

The  principal  flow  in  and  near  Palatka  is  obtained  from  a 
depth  of  175  to  250  feet.  At  this  depth  an  a'bundance  of  water 
is  obtained  having  a  head  varying  from  18  to  26  feet  above  sea. 
A  measurement  was  made  of  the  pressure  in  the  well  of  A.  D. 
Curry,  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  southwest  of  Palatka,  in 
December,  1909.  The  well  at  this  time  was  found  to  have  a 
pressure  of  eleven  and  one-half  pounds.  The  pressure  was  taken 
at  the  top  of  the  pipe  which  stands  about  two  feet  above  the 
surface  of  the  ground. 

A  number  of  wells  have  been  put  down  across  the  river  and 
in  the  vicinity  of  East  Palatka.  The  elevation  of  the  depot  at 
East  Palatka,  as  given  by  the  Coast  and  Geodetic  Survey,  is 
seventeen  feet  above  sea  level.  A  four-inch  well  drilled  for  H. 
Hanna  at  this  place  by  N.  H.  Monck  in  1909  reached  a  depth  of 
225  feet.  It  is  reported  cased  135  feet  and  the  water  is  reported 
as  rising  fifteen  feet  above  the  surface.  A  second  well  drilled 
for  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway  by  N.  H.  Monck  in  1909  was 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        211 

drilled  to  a  depth  of  256  feet.  This  is  a  four-inch  well  and  is  re- 
ported cased  135  feet.  The  water  is  said  to  rise  fifteen  feet 
above  the  surface. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  the  city  well 
at  Palatka.  The  water  was  sent  in  by  Dt.  E.  S.  Crill.  Analysis 
made  in  the  office  of  the  Chemist,  B.  H.  Bridges,  analyst: 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Silica   (SiO2)    18.0 

Chlorine  (Cl)   156.0 

Sulphates  (SO4)    76.9 

Carbonates   (CO3)    7.3 

Bicarbonates   (HCOa)    156.1 

Magnesium  oxide   (MgO)    43.3 

Calcium  oxide  (CaO)    97.1 

Total  solids   531.0 

PENIAL. 

A  three-inch  well  was  drilled  at  Penial  by  H.  Mervin  in  1904. 
This  well  is  now  owned  by  E.  L.  Parker  and  is  used  for  general 
supply  around  the  turpentine  camp.  This  well  reached  a  total 
depth  of  235  feet  and  is  reported  cased  110  feet.  The  water  is 
reported  to  rise  16  feet  above  the  surface. 

RICE  CREEK. 

A  two-inch  well  drilled  at  Rice  Creek  in  1904  reached  a  total 
depth  of  175  feet.  This  well  is  reported  cased  60  feet.  It  has  a 
small  flow  of  sulphur  water,  perhaps  12  to  15  gallons  a  minute. 
The  head  as  shown  by  the  pressure  gauge  December  8,  1909,  is 
25.1  feet  above  the  surface. 

RODMAN. 

An  attempt  was  made  in  1909  to  obtain  a  flowing  well  at 
Rodman.  Two  four-inch  wells  were  drilled  'by  H.  Mervin  for 
the  Rodman  Lumber  Company.  Well  No.  1  reached  a  total  depth 
of  139  feet  and  is  reported  cased  110  feet.  Well  No.  2  has  110 


'212  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

feet  of  four-inch  casing,  200  feet  of  three-inch  casing  and  420 
feet  of  two-inch  casing,  and  was  drilled  to  a  total  depth  of  507 
feet.  The  head  did  not  increase  with  depth  in  this  well,  as  is 
s'hown  by  the  level  of  the  water  in  either  well,  the  head  being 
three  and  one-half  feet  below  the  surface. 

Approximately  one  mile  east  of  Rodman  a  flow  is  obtained. 
A  well  drilled  by  H.  Mervin  for  J.  P.  Buie  in  1909  at  this  point 
has  a  head  of  four  feet  above  the  surface.  It  is  a  three-inch 
well  and  has  a  depth  of  270  feet.  The  flow  as  measured  Decem- 
ber 9,  1909,  is  twelve  gallons  per  minute. 

SAN  MATEO. 

Flowing  wells  are  not  obtained  at  San  Mateo,  the  surface 
elevation  of  the  town,  according  to  barometic  readings,  being 
approximately  sixty  feet  above  the  St.  Johns  River.  A  four- 
inch  well  drilled  for  B.  F.  Dotney  in  1900  by  H.  Mervin  reached 
a  total  depth  of  365  feet.  The  water  in  this  well  rises  to  within 
48  feet  of  the  surface.  A  number  of  flowing  wells  have  been  ob- 
tained, however,  along  the  river,  near  San  Mateo. 

SATSUMA. 

No  artesian  wells  are  in  use  at  Satsuma.  The  water  used  at 
this  place  comes  from  surface  sands  or  clays  at  a  depth  varying 
from  25  to  46  feet.  Flowing  wells  have  been  obtained  along  the 
river  west  of  town. 

WELAKA. 

Welaka  is  located  on  the  St.  Johns  River,  about  twelve  miles 
south  of  Palatka.  Records  of  two  wells  have  been  obtained  at 
this  place.  One  of  these  is  the  well  now  owned  by  the  Welaka 
Mineral  Water  Company,  a  three-inch  well,  drilled  in  1906.  The 
first  water  under  pressure  was  encountered  at  a  depth  of  160 
feet.  Below  160  feet  the  size  of  the  boring  was  reduced  to  two 
inches,  and  was  continued  to  a  total  depth  of  329  feet,  at  which 
depth  a  highly  mineralized  water  is  obtained.  The  well  has  98 
feet  of  three-inch  casing  and  213  feet  of  two-inch  casing.  The 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        213 

elevation  of  the  well  above  the  St.  Johns  River  is  reported  to  be 
22  feet.  The  water  in  the  well  comes  to  within  16  feet  of  the 
surface  or  stands  6  feet  above  the  level  of  the  water  in  the  St. 
Johns  River. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well.  An- 
alysis by  Robert  Spurr  Weston,  14  Beacon  street,  Boston,  Mass. : 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Silica 12.00 

Alumina    8.57 

Iron  carbonate   12.00 

Calcium  chloride    586.32 

Calcium  sulphate   697.75 

Calcium  nitrate Trace 

Magnesium  bromide  5.14 

Magnesium  chloride  507.45 

Magnesium  carbonate    241.72 

Sodium  chloride   8808.52 

Potassium  chloride   13.70 

A  second  well  at  Welaka  is  owned  by  Mrs.  Franklin  Swift 
and  was  drilled  by  H.  Mervin  in  1909.  This  is  a  four-inch  well 
and  has  a  total  depth  of  151  feet.  It  is  reported  to  be  cased  104 
feet  and  the  water  is  said  to  stand  eight  feet  below  the  surface. 

WOODBURN. 

A  well  was  drilled  one  and  one-half  miles  northeast  of  Wood- 
burn  in  1905  by  H.  Mervin  for  J.  E.  Edmonson.  This  is  a  four- 
inch  well  and  has  a  depth  of  185  feet.  It  is  reported  cased  120 
feet  and  to  have  a  'head  of  five  feet  above  the  surface. 


214  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

ORANGE  COUNTY.* 
LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

Orange  County  lies  in  South  Central  Florida,  bordering  the  St. 
Johns  River.  This  county  has  an  area  of  1,250  square  miles  and 
presents  considerable  diversity  in  soil  and  topography.  The 
northwestern  one-half  of  the  county  is  included  within  the  lake 
region  of  Florida  and  is  dotted  with  innumerable  small  and  large 
lakes.  This  part  of  the  county  has  a  rolling  surface  topography, 
the  uplands  rising  considerably  above  the  lakes.  The  eastern 
and  southeastern  part  of  the  county  bordering  the  St.  Johns 
River  is  of  lower  elevation  and  consists  largely  of  pine  lands  of 


Scale  of  Miles 
0 


Fig.  9.— Map  showing  the  area  of  artesian   How   in   Orange   County. 
The  area  in  which  flowing  wells  can  be  obtained  is  indicated  by  shading. 

""Including  Seminole  County,  which  was  created  from  Orange  County 
after  this  paper  was  set  in  type. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        215 


the  palmetto  flatwoocls  type.  The  surface  elevation  in  this  county 
varies  from  about  20  feet  above  the  sea  in  the  northern  part  of 
the  county  to  elevations  of  from  100  to  150  feet  at  points  in  the 
interior. 

WATER-BEARING   FORMATIONS. 

The  deep  wells  in  Orange  County  terminate  in  the  Vicksburg 
Limestone.  At  Sanford,  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county,  this 
formation  lies  comparatively  near  the  surface,  being  reached  at 
a  depth  of  from  113  to  125  feet.  Owing  to  the  lack  of  a  com- 
plete set  of  well  samples  the  depth  at  which  the  formation  is  to 
be  expected  in  other  parts  of  the  county  has  not  been  accurately 
determined.  The  formations  lying  above  the  Vicksburg  'have 
not  been  fully  differentiated.  It  is  probable  that  the  Miocene 
occurs  over  the  county,  as  the  surface  exposure  of  this  formation 
has  been  recognized  at  Rock  Springs,  in  the  northwestern  part 
of  the  county.* 

AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW  OF  ORANGE  COUNTY. 

The  flowing  area  of  Orange  County  is  confined  to  a  narrow 
strip  bordering  the  St.  Johns  River.  At  Sanford  this  strip  has 
a  width  of  from  three  to  five  miles.  Passing  inland  these  low 
lands  quickly  give  place  to  the  more  elevated,  rolling  lands  of 
the  lake  region.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  wells  immediately 
bordering  some  of  the  lakes,  flowing  wells  in  this  upland  section 
have  not  been  obtained.  The  flowing  area  in  this  county  is  out- 
lined on  the  accompanying  map. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 
CHULUOTA. 

A  two-inch  flowing  well  three  miles  east  of  Chuluota  is  owned 
by  Mr.  G.  M.  Jacobs.  The  well  is  114  feet  deep,  is  cased  75  feet, 


*Smith,-E.  A.,  On  the  Geology  of  Florida.    Amer.  Journ.  Su.  (3)  XXI, 
292-309,  1881. 


2iC)  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

and  has  a  head  of  eight  feet  above  the  surface.     The  water  is 

used  for  stock. 

GENEVA. 

There  are  several  non-flowing  wells  in  Geneva,  the  elevation 
being  too  great  for  a  flowing  well  to  be  obtained.  Mr.  H.  H. 
Pattishall  has  a  two-inch  well  133  feet  deep  and  cased  85  feet. 
This  well  was  drilled  by  the  Geo.  H.  Fernald  Company  in  1909. 
The  water  is  said  to  rise  to  within  29  feet  of  the  surface. 

Mr.  J.  T.  McLain  owns  a  well  one  and  one-half  miles  north 
of  Geneva.  This  is  a  two-inch  well  and  is  135  feet  deep.  The 
water  is  reported  to  rise  to  within  31  feet  of  the  surface.  The 
water  from  this  well  is  hard  and  is  charged  with  hydrogen  sul- 
phide. In  addition  to  the  above  well  Mr.  McLain  has  two  wells 
on  Mullet  Lake,  on  the  St.  Johns  River,  about  four  miles  slightly 
west  of  north  from  Geneva.  Both  of  the  wells  furnish  salt  water 
impregnated  with  hydrogen  sulphide  and  are  not  used.  One  is 
seventy-five  feet  deep  and  is  said  to  flow  two  feet  above  the  sur- 
face ;  the  other  is  135  feet  deep  and  the  water  is  reported  to  rise 
within  one  foot  of  the  surface.  The  apparent  difference  in  head 
is  due  to  the  difference  in  the  elevation  of  the  two  wells. 

Mr.  W.  B.  Raulerson  owns  a  two-inch  well  five  miles  north- 
west of  Geneva  and  near  the  St.  Johns  River.  This  well  is  76 
feet  deep  and  is  cased  72  feet  and  furnishes  a  small  flow  of  salt 
water  which  rises  a  few  inches  above  the  surface.  The  first  flow 
in  the  well  was  encountered  at  a  depth  of  70  feet.  An  increased 
flow  was  obtained  at  72^2  feet.  The  first  water  was  reported  to 
be  more  salty  than  the  second,  as  was  indicated  when  the  first 
flow  was  cased  off.  Owing  to  inability  to  drill  deeper  with  the 
light  drilling  outfit  used,  the  boring  was  discontinued.  Mr. 
Raulerson  states  that  the  water  is  more  salty  in  seasons  of  drought 
than  in  seasons  of  normal  or  heavy  rainfall. 

A  two-inch  well  owned  by  Chase  &  Company,  two  miles  south- 
east of  Geneva,  on  Lake  Harney,  is  35  feet  deep.  This  well  was 
sunk  by  F.  B.  Bradley  and  is  cased  34  feet.  It  has  a  head  of  four 
feet  above  the  surface.  The  water  is  fresh  and  is  only  slightly 
diarged  with  hydrogen  sulphide. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AXD  SOUTHERN'   FLORIDA.         217 

ORLANDO. 

Orlando,  the  county  seat  of  Orange  County,  lies  in  the  lake 
region  of  Florida.  The  elevation  at  the  depot,  as  given  by  the 
Atlantic  Coast  Line  Railroad,  is  111  feet.  Several  wells  have 
been  drilled  at  Orlando.  These  are  non-flowing  wells,  the  ele- 
vation -being  too  great  to  obtain  a  flow.  The  deep  wells  at  this 
locality  are  used  principally  for  drainage  purposes  and  for  irri- 
gation, the  city  water  supply  being  obtained  from  one  of  the 
small  lakes.  A  few  private  wells  in  and  around  Orlando  are  used 
as  a  source  of  water  supply. 

A  well  near  the  north  edge  of  the  city  owned  by  Mr.  F.  A. 
Lewter,  'has  a  total  depth  of  216  feet  and  is  cased  86  feet.  The 
water  is  used  for  general  purposes, 

A  second  well  at  the  ice  plant  is  used  in  cooling  pipes  in  the 
manufacture  of  ice.  This  well  is  470  feet  deep. 

The  use  of  wells  to  carry  off  surface  waters  at  this  locality 
'was  described  in  the  Third  Annual  Report.  One  of  these  drain- 
age wells  has  developed  at  intervals  the  unusual  phenomenon  of 
spouting.  An  account  of  this  well,  together  with  an  explanation 
of  its  unusual  behavior  is  given  in  the  report  referred  to,  page  72. 

OVIEDO. 

Oviedo  lies  on  the  eastern  edge  of  the  lake  region  of  Orange 
County.  The  region  is  sandy  and  the  topography  is  flat  to  gently 
undulating.  The  country  east  of  Oviedo  is  of  the  prevailing  flat- 
\voods  type  bordering  the  St.  Johns  River  and  Lake  Jessup,  and 
flowing  wells  are  here  obtained  at  comparatively  shallow  depths. 
Both  flowing  and  non-flowing  wells  occur  at  Oviedo,  depending 
on  the  local  elevation. 

Mr.  N.  J.  Tanner's  well,  about  one-eighth  of  a  mile  east  of  the 
postolfice  at  Oviedo,  located  in  a  depression,  is  about  114  feet 
deep,  two  inches  in  diameter,  and  is  cased  75  feet.  The  water 
from  this  well  flows  just  above  the  surface.  It  is  a  hard,  sulphur 
water  and  is  used  for  irrigating  purposes. 


•Al  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

The  well  of  Mr.  A.  J.  McCulley  is  75  feet  deep,  two  inches  in 
diameter  and  is  cased  70  feet.  This  well  was  sunk  by  the  owner 
in  1907.  The  water  is  reported  to  rise  to  within  14  feet  of  the 
surface.  Mr.  McCulley  owns  another  two-inch  well  which  is  73 
feet  deep,  and  is  cased  68  feet.  The  water  in  this  well  is  said  to 
rise  to  within  three  feet  of  the  surface.  This  apparent  difference 
in  head  is  due  largely  to  a  difference  in  elevation  of  the  wells. 

A  two-inch  well,  117  feet  deep,  one  and  one-quarter  miles 
west  of  Oviedo,  was  completed  for  Mr.  D.  W.  Curry  in  1910 
by  Mr.  A.  J.  McCulley.  This  well  gives  a  good  flow  of  sulphur 
water  and  had,  when  measured  in  April,  1910,  a- pressure  of  four 
and  one-quarter  pounds,  the  measurement  being  made  about  five 
feet  above  the  ground.  The  first  flow  in  this  well  was  encoun- 
tered at  a  depth  of  79  feet. 

A  well  fourteen  miles  east  of  Oviedo,  on  the  Econlockhatchee 
Creek,  furnishes  a  flow  of  salt  water.  This  well  was  drilled  in 
1907  by  A.  J.  McCulley  and  is  114  feet  deep,  two  inches  in  diam- 
eter, and  is  cased  75  feet.  The  first  flowing  water,  which  was 
salty,  was  found  at  a  depth  of  70  feet. 

SANFORD. 

Probably  not  less  than  1,000  wells  occur  in  and  around  San- 
ford.  These  wells  are  used  for  irrigating  purposes  and  obtain 
flowing  artesian  water  at  a  comparatively  shallow  depth,  the 
average  being  from  125  to  200  feet.  Bordering  Lakes  Monroe 
and  Jessup  and  the  St.  Johns  River,  the  wells  are  more  shallow 
and  terminate  at  a  depth  of  from  66  to  85  feet. 

The  first  flow  in  the  wells  at  Sanford  is  encountered  at  a 
depth  of  from  100  to  125  feet,  after  drilling  through  a  rock  more 
or  less  hard  and  penetrating  the  characteristic  "water  rock"  or 
the  Vicksburg  Limestone.  In  some  instances  a  light  flow  is 
obtained  above  this  harder  rock  immediately  overlying  the  Vicks- 
burg. When  such  is  the  case  it  seems  the  water  comes  from  a 
quicksand  or  sometimes  from  a  stratum  of  sand  and  shell.  In 
order  to  get  a  sufficient  and  permanent  flow,  however,  the  boring 
is  continued  until  the  Vicksburg  Limestone  is  reached. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        219 

In  a  well  owned  by  Mr.  L.  E.  Morrow,  four  miles  south  of 
Sanford,  on  the  Sanford-Orlando:  public  road,  and  drilled  by 
Mr.  W.  E.  Holmes  in  April,  1910,  the  Vicksburg  Limestone  was 
reached  at  a  depth  of  113  feet.  The  first  flow  was  obtained  at 
a  depth  of  110  feet,  coming  from  a  light  yellow  sand.  The  fol- 
lowing is  an  approximate  log  of  this  well  constructed  from  notes 
given  by  the  driller  and  from  a  partial  set  of  samples  kindly 
saved  by  him : 

Feet. 

Surface  soil 0-     5 

Yellow  sand   5-40 

Shell  and  sand,  water,  no  flow 40-60 

Sand  60-91 

Shell  and  sand  with  shark's  teeth 91-95 

Dark  blue  rock  with  black  phosphatic  pebbles 95-100 

Very  dark  rock  100-101  *,' 

Light  yellow   sand    101-113 

Vicksburg  Limestone 113-          't    . 

The  principal  supply  of  water  for  the  city  of  Sanford  is  drawn 
from  Lake  Ada,  about  four  miles  southeast  of  the  city.  The  soft . 
water  from  the  lake  is  preferred  to  the  hard,  sulphuretted  ar- 
tesian water.  However,  the  city  has  four  artesian  wells,  which 
serve  as  a  source  of  supply  when  the  lake  is  low.  These  wells 
are  all  four  inches  in  diameter  and  are  reported  to  have  an  aver- 
age depth  of  130  feet.  Measurements  in  regard  to  the  volume 
of  flow  of  these  wells  could  not  be  obtained. 

Several  flowing  wells  occur  at  Cameron  City,  on  Lake  Jessup, 
about  six  miles  southeast  of  Sanford.  The  wells  here  are  of 
about  the  same  depth  as  those  in  and  near  Sanford  and  good 
flows  are  obtained.  The  principal  use  of  the  water  is  for  irri- 
gating purposes. 

At  Monroe,  a  station  four  miles  northwest  of  Sanford,  on  the 
Atlantic  Coast  Line  Railroad,  a  number  of  wells  have  been  sunk. 
According  to  reports  from  drillers  the  artesian  conditions  'here 
are  essentially  the  same  as  at  Sanford.  A  well  about  one-fourth 
of  a  mile  southwest  of  the  depot  was  drilled  for  the  Title,  Bond 
and  Trust  Company  by  W.  E.  Holmes  &  Son.  This  is  a  two-inch 
well,  180  feet  deep  and  cased  120  feet.  The  pressure  of  this 


220 


FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


well  April  19,  1910,  was  eight  and  one-half  pounds,  the  measure- 
ment being  made  one  and  one-half  feet  above  the  surface.  About 
one-fourth  mile  beyond  the  above  is  a  second  well.  This  well 
indicated  a  pressure  of  eight  pounds,  the  measurement  in  this 
instance  being  made  three  feet  above  the  surface.  Unfortunately 
the  total  depth  of  this  well  could  not  be  learned.  A  third  well 
about  one  and  one-fourth  miles  beyond  this  second  well  indicated 


—Artesian  well  of  E.  Hy.  Palmer  on  the  west  side  of  Lake  Jessup. 


a  pressure  of  one  pound.  This  well  has  a  total  depth  of  201  feet, 
is  two  inches  in  diameter  and  is  cased  154  feet.  As  will  be  seen 
these  wells  decrease  in  pressure  on  leaving  the  river.  This  de- 
crease in  pressure  is  due  to  the  increase  in  elevation.  All  of  the 
above  mentioned  wells  are  along  the  grade  of  the  now  abandoned 
railroad  from  Paola  to  Monroe. 

Another  well  four  miles  southwest  of  San  ford  and  owned  by 
.  V.  Weeden,  terminated  in  the  Vicksburg  Limestone  as 

hown  by  a  mixed  sample  of  the  drillings  gathered  after  the 

well  was  completed.     Unfortunately  neither  the  total  depth  of 

e  we  1  nor  the  depth  at  which  the  Vicksburg  Limestone  was 

reached  could  be  learned.     This  well  is  two  inches  in  diameter 

and  furnishes  a  good  flow  of  water. 

The  well  of  Mr.  E.  Hy.  Palmer,  seven  miles  south  of  Sanford, 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        221 

near  the  western  shore  of  Lake  Jessup,  is  75  feet  deep  and  was 
drilled  in  1907.  This  is  a  four-inch  well  and  is  cased  40  feet. 
The  pressure  of  this  well  as  indicated  by  the  pressure  gauge,  April 
26,  1910,  was  nine  and  one-half  pounds,  or  a  pressure  sufficient 
to  cause  the  water  to  rise  21.9  feet  above  the  point  of  connection 
of  the  gauge,  which  was  three  feet  above  the  surface.  The  well 
is  estimated  to  be  about  12  feet  above  Lake  Jessup,  which  estima- 
tion will  give  the  well  a  total  head  of  36  feet  and  9  inches  above 
the  surface  of  the  lake. 

The  deepest  well  at  Sanford  is  the  well  owned  by  Mr.  J.  E. 
Pace.  This  well  is  located  just  outside  of  the  known  flowing  area 
and  was  sunk  in  the  hopes  of  obtaining  a  flow.  The  well  is  six 
inches  in  diameter  to  a  depth  of  five  hundred  feet,  below  which 
depth  the  size  of  the  drill  hole  was  reduced  to  four  inches.  It 
has  a  total  depth  of  670  feet  and  the  water  rises  to  within  one 
and  one-half  feet  of  the  surface.  The  well  is  reported  cased  only 
94  feet.  A  detailed  record  of  the  well  could  not  be  obtained,  but 
it  was  stated  by  Mr.  Pace  that  no  apparent  increase  in  head  re- 
sulted from  the  increased  depth,  although  no  exact  measurements 
regarding  this  were  made. 

VOLUSIA  COUNTY. 
LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

Yolusia  County  lies  between  the  St.  Johns  River  and  the  At- 
lantic Ocean.  It  joins  St.  Johns  County  on  the  north  and  Bre- 
vard  County  on  the  south.  The  area  of  the  land  surface  of  this 
county  is  approximately  1,281  square  miles.  Much  of  the  eastern 
part  of  the  county  is  level  and  consists  largely  of  palmetto  flat- 
woods.  Bordering  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  however,  is  an  extensive 
strip  of  'hammock  known  as  Turnbull  Hammock.  Back  of  the 
hammock  is  found  the  line  of  sand  dunes.  Bordering  the  St. 
Johns  River  is  found  some  open  flatwoods.  Running  in  a  general 
north  and  south  direction  through  the  western  part  of  the  county 
is  a  ridge  including  much  sandy  pine  land.  Numerous  lakes 
occur  in  this  upland  section  which  forms  a  part  of  the  lake  region 
of  Florida.  Elevations  above  sea  level  recorded  by  the  Atlantic 


222  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Coast  Line  Railroad  which  traverses  this  ridge  are  as  follows: 
Seville,  52  feet;  Pierson,  78  feet. 

WATER-BEARING   FORMATIONS. 

Xo  complete  set  of  well  samples  having  been  obtained  from 
any  one  well  in  Yolusia  County  the  information  regarding  the 
underlying  formations  is  very  meager.  In  the  city  well  at  De- 
Land  the  first  water  was  obtained  at  a  depth  of  113  feet  after 
passing  through  eight  feet  of  clay  and  entering  a  twelve-foot 
shell  stratum.  The  stratum  of  shell  overlies  a  bed  of  rock  re- 
ported to  be  24  feet  thick.  The  next  rock  encountered  is  at  a 
depth  of  237  to  24T  feet.  At  Daytona  the  Yicksburg  Limestone, 
as  shown  by  the  comparatively  shallow  depths  of  the  wells,  lies 
close  to  the  surface  and  is  presumably  reached  at  from  125  to 
150  feet. 

AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW  IN  VOLUSIA  COUNTY. 

The  area  of  artesian  flow  in  Yolusia  County  is  confined  to  a 
strip  bordering  the  Atlantic  Ocean  on  the  east  and  a  strip  on  the 
west  bordering  the  St.  Johns  River.  This  area  is  indicated  on  the 
accompanying  map.  There  are  no  doubt  areas  not  mapped  where 
flowing  wells  can  be  obtained.  The  area  mapped,  however,  is 
based  on  definite  information  and  on  well  records.  In  the  north- 
ern portion  of  the  county  flowing  wells  are  obtained  as  far  west 
as  Crescent  Lake.  This  part  of  the  county  is  flat  and  of  low 
altitude. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 
DAYTONA. 

^    Daytona  lies  in  the  flowing  artesian  section  in  eastern  Yolusia 
ounty,  along  the  western  bank  of  Halifax  River      The  city  is 
supplied  with  water  from  four  artesian  wells,  all  of  which  are  six- 
's m  diameter.    These  wells  were  drilled  in  1909,  but  in  order 
to  obtain  an  increased  flow  were  deepened  in  1910  and  now  ran-e 
depth  from  Ifi5  to  200  feet.    The  260-foot  well  on  April  7  1910 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        223 

had  a  head  of  9.3  feet  above  the  surface  or  approximately  13.3 
feet  above  sea.  The  wells  now  furnish  an  abundant  supply  of 
hard  sulphuretted  water. 


Inlet 


Fig.  11. — Map  showing  the  areas  of  artesian  flow  in  Volusia  County. 
The  areas  in  which  flowing  wells  can  be  obtained  are  indicated  by  shading. 


224  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

In  addition  to  the  city  wells  above  mentioned  numerous  pri- 
vate wells  occur  in  and  near  Daytona.  Of  these  it  is  possible  to 
list  only  a  few.  Mr.  Paul  Petion  owns  a  two-inch  well  about  two 
and  one-half  miles  south  of  the  city.  The  well  was  drilled  by 
Mr.  H.  VanDorn  in  1910.  It  is  145  feet  deep  and  is  cased  85 
feet.  The  first  flowing  water  is  reported  to  have  been  encoun- 
tered at  a  depth  of  85  feet  after  drilling  through  about  one  foot 
of  hard  rock. 

Messrs.  Bellough  and  Melton  completed  a  two-inch  well  for 
Mr.  Chas.  Lee  about  two  miles  southwest  of  Daytona  in  April, 
1910.  This  well  is  130  feet  deep  and  has  a  head  of  five  feet  above 
the  surface.  The  first  flow  is  reported  from  a  depth  of  88  feet 
just  below  a  hard  rock  upon  which  the  casing  was  landed.  The 
following  is  a  log  of  this  well  as  given  by  Mr.  Melton  : 

Feet. 

Dark  sandy  soil 0_     g 

White  marl   6-15 

Sand  and  shell 15-30 

Bi"e  ciay ..'."!!.'!.'".'.'.'.'.'!!  so-  65 

Sand  and  shell  65-87 

Limestone,  medium  hard.    First  flow  at  88  feet,  increase 'of 
water  with  depth 


The  following  is  a  log  of  Mr.  H.  VanDorn's  well.  The  well 
is  one-half  mile,  west  of  the  postoffice  and  was  completed  by  Mr 
\  anDorn  in  April,  1910.  It  is  a  four-inch  well,  205  feet  deep 
and  is  cased  83  feet : 

Dark  sandy  soil  Feet 

Hardpan    V.'.Y.V.V. 

White  sand 

Coquina  and  shell 

White  sand  .40-45 

Blue  clay  45'  65 

Hard  rock.    Light  flow'just  ab'ov'e  this'rock! ' ' 
L.ght-colored  limestone,  with  harder  and  softer 'layer's  "in" 

3f  water  with  increase  of  depth '  84.205 

-  wells  listed  are  representative  of  the  wells  surrounding 
lowing  water  ,s  obtained  at  a  comparatively  shallow 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        225 

depth.  From  the  above  two  logs  it  will  be  seen  that  hard  rock 
was  encountered  at  the  depth  of  87  and  84  feet,  respectively. 
Immediately  under  this  hard  rock  a  softer  limestone  is  reported 
and  in  this  limestone  the  first  flowing-  water  is  obtained.  The 
description  of  this  formation  given  by  the  drillers  characterizes 
it  as  the  Vicksburg  which  is  apparently  reached  in  this  section 
at  a  depth  of  not  more  than  125  to  150  feet. 

DE  LAND. 

The  city  of  DeLand,  the  county  seat  of  Volusia  County,  lies 
in  the  southwestern  portion  of  the  county.  There  are  a  number 
of  non-flowing  artesian  wells  in  and  near  DeLand.  The  city  is 
at  present  supplied  by  two  deep  wells  located  at  the  pumping 
station.  The  six-inch  well  is  406  feet  deep  and  was  sunk  in  1895. 
This  well  was  reduced  in  diameter  in  the  process  of  drilling  and 
is  cased  as  follows :  Six-inch  casing  to  100  feet,  four-inch  casing 
to  290  feet,  two-inch  casing  to  390  feet.  The  second  well,  which 
was  drilled  in  1906  by  W.  F.  Hamilton,  is  ten  inches  in  diameter 
and  is  269  feet  deep.  At  the  depth  of  191  feet  hard  rock  was  en- 
countered upon  which  the  casing  was  landed.  The  head  of  the 
wells,  regardless  of  the  difference  in  depth,  was  reported  to  be 
27  feet  below  the  surface  in  both  cases.  The  following  log  and 
analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well  were  kindly  made  available 
by  Mr.  E.  D.  McLeod : 

Feet. 

Sand    0-  25 

Clay 25-  45 

Shell    45-  50 

Rock 50-  55 

Sand  55-105 

Clay  .' 105-113 

Shell,  water-bearing  11.1-125 

Rock 125-149 

Sand 149-157 

Rock    157-197 

Sand  and  shell   197-237 

Rock . .  237-247 


226  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Clay    247-257 

Sand    257-265 

Rock 265-277 

Clay 277-2.92 

Shell  and  clay   292-372 

Rock    372-392 

Cavity  with  water  392-406 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  the  six-inch 
city  well  at  DeLand.  Analysis  by  H.  Herzog,  Jr.,  Gainesville, 
Fl?.. : 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Total  solids 136.29 

Residue  after  ignition  (mineral  matter) 76.11 

Gas  and  ignition  (organic  matter) 60.17 

Sodium  chloride 11.31 

Free  ammonia    .68 

Albuminoid   ammonia    17 

Oxygen  (consuming  power)    1.54 

Nitrates 34. 

Nitrites None 

Sulphates    o  95 

Phosphates Trace 

ENTERPRISE. 

Flowing  wells  are  obtained  at  Enterprise,  along  the  shore  of 
Lake  Monroe,  and  in  areas  where  the  elevation  does  not  exceed 
more  than  ten  or  twelve  feet  above  the  level  of  the  water  in  the 
lake.  The  depth  of  the  wells  in  this  vicinity  ranges  from  20  to 
200  or  more  feet,  the  average  depth  !being  between  90  and  110 
feet.  The  water  is  'hard  and  is  charged  with  'hydrogen  sulphide, 
in  some  instances  containing  a  large  amount  of  salt.  A  well 
owned  by  Mr.  William  S.  Thayer  was  drilled  to  a  depth  of  98 
feet.  It  is  two  inches  in  diameter  and  is  cased  45  feet  The 
stimated  elevation  of  this  well  is  15  feet*  above  the  level  of  the 
water  in  Lake  Monroe.  The  water  is  reported  to  rise  to  within 
.hree  feet  of  the  surface  of  the  ground.  An  analysis  of  the  water 
from  this  well  made  in  the  office  of  the  State  Chemist  showed 
to  contain  140  parts  total  solids  to  1,000,000  parts  water  The 
total  solids  are  reported  to  be  composed  of  calcium  carbonate 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        227 

(lime),  sodium  chloride  (common  salt),  and  magnesium  sulphate 
(Epsom  salts). 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  of  the  Benson  Min- 
eral Spring,  located  about  one-fourth  mile  west  of  town,  and 
owned  by  the  Misses  Emma  and  Tina  Tucker.  Analysis  made  at 
Vanderbilt  University,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  by  W.  H.  Hollenshead : 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Potassium 27.104 

Sodium 1805.046 

Magnesium    213.047 

Calcium   , 321.619 

Iron    .702 

Chlorine   3389.640 

Bromine    103.206 

Carbon  dioxide 559.234 

Sulphuric  acid  (radical)    541.132 

Silica    16.989 

Phosphoric  acid   (radical)    .702 

Boric  acid Heavy  trace 

Organic  matter  Small  amount 

Hydrogen  sulphide Slight  trace 

The  above  are  probably  combined  in  the  water  as  follows : 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Potassium  sulphate   60.346 

Calcium  sulphate  720.043 

Sodium   bromide    133.722 

Magnesium  chloride   819.787 

Sodium  phosphate   .994 

Iron  chloride 1.594 

Sodium  chloride 4504.371 

Calcium  chloride   76.701 

Calcium  bicarbonate   330.928 

Silica    16.989 

Carbonic  acid 379.624 

Sodium  biborate Heavy  trace 

Hydrogen  sulphide Slight  trace 

Organic  matter  Small  amount 


228  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

LAKE  HELEN. 

Lake  Helen  lies  in  the  lake  region  of  southern  Volusia  County. 
The  land  'here  is  high,  rolling  pine  woods.  The  elevation  of  the 
depot  at  Lake  Helen,  as  recorded  by  the  Florida  East  Coast  Rail- 
way, is  70  feet.  The  wells  recorded  from  this  place  range  in 
depth  from  130  to  238  feet.  The  Bond  'Sand-Lime  Brick  Com- 
pany own  several  three-inch  wells  ranging  in  depth  from  130  to 
140  feet.  The  water  is  reported  to  rise  within  28  feet  of  the 
surface.  A  well  for  Mr.  G.  W.  Webster  was  drilled  in  1897''  by 
Mr.  H.  C.  Haven.  This  well  is  238  feet,  four  inches  in  diameter 
and  cased  158  feet.  The  first  rock  is  reported  at  a  depth  of  78 
feet.  The  principal  water  supply  is  obtained  from  a  depth  of 
210  feet.  The  water  is  hard  and  is  only  slightly  charged  with 
hydrogen  sulphide. 

NEW  SMYRNA. 

The  artesian  conditions  at  New  Smyrna  are  essentially  the 
same  as  those  given  for  Daytona.  The  wells  in  this  vicinity  range 
in  depth  from  108  to  144  feet.  The  water  is  hard  and  is  charged 
wit'h  hydrogen  sulphide  and  is  used  to  a  large  extent  for  irrigating 
purposes. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  the  well  of 
Mr.  W.  L.  Widmeyer,  made  in  the  office  of  the  State  Chemist, 
B.  H.  Bridges,  analyst : 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Silica   (SiO2)    27.0 

Chlorine  (Cl)   836.6 

Sulphates  (SO4)   7.8 

Carbonates  (CO3)  12.0 

Bicarbonates  (HCO3)    209.8 

Magnesium  oxide   (MgO)    108.6 

Calcium  oxide  (CaO)    197  7 

Total  solids  1980.0 

The  following  is  a  log  of  a  four-inch  well  drilled  by  R.  C. 
Walker  for  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway.  The  record  is  ob- 
tained through  the  courtesy  of  Mr.  G.  A.  Miller: 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        229 

Feet. 

Coal  cinders   (filled  land) 0-     3 

Coquina  rock   5-  14 

Sand    14-  16 

Sand  and  shell  16-42 

Blue  clay   42-  43 

Fine  shell 43-64 

Fine  shell  and  sand 64-80 

Coarse  shell    80-91 

Rock 91-92 

Clay  and  shell 92-96 

Hard  rock  96-100 

Soft  white  limestone   100-156 

The  following  is  a  log  of  a  three-inch  well  drilled  by  H.  Van- 
Dorn,  two  miles  west  of  New  Smyrna,  for  the  Florida  East  Coast 
Railway.  The  record  is  obtained  through  the  courtesy  of  Mr. 
G.  A.  Miller: 

Feet 

Sand  0     -16 

Rock    16     -  20^ 

Shell  20l/2-  24 

Clay  24-  40 

Rock    40-  42 

Clay   42-  44 

Rock    44-  46 

Clay 46-  79 

Rock    79-  SI 

Shell    81-  85 

Rock 85-  87 

Rock,  bearing  salty  water 87-103 

Rock,  bearing  fresh  water 103-124 

OAK  HILL. 

Oak  Hill  is  eleven  miles  south  of  New  Smyrna,  on  the  Florida 
East  Coast  Railway  and  about  four  miles  north  of  the  head  of 
Indian  River.  Several  flowing  wells  occur  in  the  vicinity  of  this 
place.  These  wells  are  reported  to  be  about  130  feet  deep.  The 
water  is  hard  and  sulphuretted.  Approaching  the  head  of  Indian 
River,  some  four  or  five  miles  south  of  Oak  Hill,  flowing  wells 
of  brackish  water  are  obtained.  Mr.  T.  J.  Murray  owns  four 


230  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

wells,  all  near  the  head  of  Indian  River,  which  are  used  for  stock. 
One  of  these  wells  was  never  satisfactorily  completed.  Two  of 
the  wells  give  a  brackish  flow  while  the  water  from  the  other 
well,  which  is  located  about  one  mile  south  and  west  of  the  head 
of  the  river,  is  reported  to  be  fresh.  This  well,  however,  is  not 
as  deep  as  the  other  two  wells,  being  only  82  feet  deep  and  ter- 
minating before  passing  through  the  "bed"  or  hard  rock  which 
was  encountered  at  that  depth.  The  two  brackish  wells  are  re- 
ported to  have  a  depth  of  110  feet  and  to  have  a  head  of  about 
seven  feet  above  the  surface.  According  to  well  records  this 
seems  to  be  the  northern  extent  of  the  shallow'  brackish  flowing 
wells,  fresh  water  wells  being  obtained  just  a  few  miles  to  the 
north.  Eastward  this  salt  area  presumably  extends  to  the  Atlantic 
Ocean.  In  19<)r  Mr.  J.  W.  Griffis  had  a  well  sunk  one  mile  north- 
west of  Shiloh,  to  a  depth  of  149  feet.  The  well  at  this  depth 
flowed  just  above  the  surface  and  furnished  a  very  strong  salt 
water.  The  well  is  now  capped  and  is  not  used.  The  character 
of  the  artesian  water  westward  in  this  part  of  the  county  is  not 
known,  records  of  wells  not  having  been  obtained. 

ORANGE  CITY. 

The  Orange  City  wells  vary  in  depth  from  11  r  to  890  feet. 

The  890-foot  well  is  owned  by  Mr.  Albert  Dickinson  and  is  not 

used.     Salt  water  was  encountered  at  the  depth  of  890  feet  and 

the  well  was  plugged  up  below  660  feet.    The  depth  of  the  well 

as  now  used  is  660  feet.     The  principal  use  of  the  artesian  wells 

m  this  vicinity,  aside  from  general  domestic  purposes,  is  that  of 

irrigation,  the  Orange  City  Mineral  Spring  Company,  however, 

have  a  well  117  feet  deep,  the  water  from  which  is  bottled  for 

This  is  a  ten-inch  well  and  is  reported  cased  to  a  depth  of 

The  water  is  said  to  rise  to  within  twenty  feet  of 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        231 

the  surface.    The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  this 
well.*    Analyst  unknown : 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Free  ammonia    0.00 

Albuminoid  ammonia   0.05 

Oxygen  consumed   1.05 

Nitrites    0.00 

Nitrates 1.00 

ORMOND. 

Several  deep  wells  have  been  sunk  at  Ormond.  These  deep 
wells  all  furnish  a  salt  water  which  cannot  be  used  except  in  some 
instances  where  it  is  used  for  bathing  purposes.  A  four-inch 
well  was  drilled  by  Mr.  H.  Walker  in  1900  at  the  Hotel  Ormond. 
This  well  reached  a  depth  of  752  feet  and  is  cased  360  feet.  At 
a  depth  of  320  feet  salt  water  was  encountered.  The  water  from 
the  well  is  used  for  bathing  purposes.  Another  well  at  the  Hotel 
Ormond  reached  the  same  depth.  This  well  is  eight  inches  in 
diameter  and  is  cased  400  feet,  at  which  depth  salt  water  is  re- 
ported, continuing  to  550  feet.  From  the  depth  of  550  feet  to 
the  total  depth  of  the  well,  752  feet,  no  water  was  encountered. 

The  average  depth  of  the  wells  surrounding  Ormond  and  vi- 
cinity is  from  160  to  225  feet.  At  this  depth  a  hard  sulphuretted 
water  is  obtained.  However,  in  some  instances  salt  water  at  this 
shallow  depth  is  reported.  Mrs.  A.  M.  Watson  owns  a  three- 
inch  well  which  is  180  feet  deep  and  cased  90  feet.  The  water 
from  this  well  is  not  used  because  it  contains  salt.  This  well  is 
the  only  one  of  this  depth  on  record  that  contains  salt,  other  wells 
of  medium  depth  furnishing  an  abundant  supply  of  fresh  water, 
which  is  used  for  domestic  and  irrigating  purposes.  The  head 
of  the  wells  range  from  eight  to  nine  feet  above  the  surface  or 
about  fourteen  to  fifteen  feet  above  sea. 


*U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  Bull.  102,  p.  263,  1904. 


232  FLORIDA  STATE)  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

PIERSON. 

Pierson  is  located  on  the  sandy  ridge  running  through  the 
west  central  portion  of  Volusia  County.  The  elevation  of  the 
depot  at  this  place,  as  recorded  by  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  Rail- 
road, is  78  feet.  Records  of  two  deep  wells  occurring  here  have 
been  obtained.  The  N.  L.  Pierson  well  is  three  inches  in  diame- 
ter and  150  feet  deep.  The  water  is  reported  to  rise  to  within 
forty  feet  of  the  surface.  Its  use  is  general  domestic  and  irriga- 
tion purposes.  The  second  well  was  drilled  at  the  public  sc'hool 
house  and  is  used  for  general  drinking  purposes. 

SEVILLE. 

The  Atlantic  Coast  Line  Railroad  owns  four  artesian  wells 
at  Seville,  used  for  the  railroad  boiler  supplies.  One  well  is  four 
inches  in  diameter  and  is  reported  to  be  126  feet  deep.  The  other 
three  wells  are  two  inches  in  diameter.  The  exact  depth  is  not 
known.  The  water  is  said  to  rise  to  within  18  feet  of  the  surface. 

About  two  miles  south  of  Seville  and  west  of  the  Atlantic 
Coast  Line  Railroad  is  a  flowing  artesian  well.  This  well  is 
owned  by  J.  W.  Whitner,  and  was  drilled  in  1909.  This  is  a  two- 
inch  well,  140  feet  deep  and  is  cased  90  feet.  The  elevation  at 
the  well,  as  determined  by  measurement,  is  sixteen  feet  above 
Lake  George.  The  well  on  April  25,  1910,  as  indicated  by  the 
pressure  gauge,  had  a  pressure  of  four  and  one-quarter  pounds, 
equivalent  to  a  head  of  9.8  feet  above  the  surface  or  25.8  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  water  in  Lake  George.  The  first  flowing 
water  was  reported  at  the  depth  of  80  feet,  at  which  depth  hard 
rock  was  encountered. 

BREVARD  COUNTY. 
LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

Brevard  County  lies  between  the  St.  Johns  River  and  the  At- 
lantic Ocean.  It  has  a  total  length  of  66  miles  and,  including 
Mcrritts  Island,  is  about  25  miles  wide.  It  joins  Volusia  Countv 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        233 

on  the  north  and  St.  Lucie  County  on  the  south.  -Aside  from  the 
line  of  sand  dunes  running  parallel  with  the  coast  this  county  is 
prevailingly  of  the  palmetto  flatwoods  type  of  country,  although 
extensive  prairie  and  muck  lands  occur  in  the  interior  of  the 
county.  Lake  Washington,  in  the  central  part  of  this  county, 
has  an  elevation  of  15.74  feet  while  Lake  Wilmington,  the  head 
waters  of  the  St.  Johns  River,  in  St.  Lucie  County,  has  an  eleva- 
tion of  23.3?  feet  above  mean  sea  level  at  Indian  River  Inlet.* 
i 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

The  deep  wells  in  Brevard  County  enter  the  Vicksburg  Lime- 
stone. At  Melbourne  this  limestone,  as  indicated  by  well  samples 
kept  from  the  well  of  Mr.  Oliver  Gibbs,  was  reached  at  the  depth 
of  221  feet.  At  Cocoa,  in  the  well  of  Mr.  H.  Bradford,  the  Vicks- 
burg Limestone  was  recognized  at  a  depth  not  exceeding  190  feet. 

AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW  IN  BREVARD  COUNTY. 

Although  the  interior  of  this  county  is  'but  thinly  settled  and 
but  few  wells  have  been  put  down,  it  is  probable  that  the  greater 
part  of  this  county  lies  within  the  area  of  artesian  flow.  On  the 
high  sand  dune  ridge,  which  lies  out  three  or  four  miles  from  the 
coast,  a  flow  is  not  to  be  expected.  This  is  probably  also  true  of 
points  within  the  interior  of  the  county,  particularly  in  the  south- 
western part. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 
CHESTER  SHOALS. 

Some  fifteen  miles  from  Titusville,  through  Banana  Creek, 
is  the  Chester  Shoals  Life  Saving  Station  and  Canaveral  Club 
House.  At  this  club  house  an  artesian  well  was  drilled  about 
1890.  It  is  a  three-inch  well  and  the  original  depth  was  222  feet. 
The  amount  of  casing  used  could  not  be  learned.  The  well  in 

*Survey  made  in  1903,  under  the  direction  of  Captain  F.  R.  Shunk, 
U.  S.  Army. 


234  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

subsequent  years  decreased  in  flow,  and  in  order  to  get  a  sufficient 
amount  of  water  for  general  use  it  became  necessary  to  deepen 
the  well.  In  1905  Captain  Alex.  Near  continued  the  drilling  to 
297  feet.  The  well  now  gives  an  abundance  of  water  strongly 
impregnated  with  hydrogen  sulphide  and  tasting  slightly  brackish, 
although  not  so  much  so  as  to  condemn  it  for  general  purposes. 

CITY  POINT. 

Flowing  wells  are  obtained  along  the  shore  of  Indian  River 
at  City  Point.  Between  the  village  on  the  river  and  the  'City 
Point  depot,  on  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway,  there  is  quite 
an  elevation,  evidently  an  old  sand  dune.  The  elevation  of  this 
ridge,  according  to  barometric  readings,  is  about  fifty  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  water  in  the  river.  A  well  sunk  here  some  years 
ago  failed  to  flow,  although  the  water  rose  to  within  a  few  feet 
of  the  surface.  A  well  owned  by  S.  Hendry  is  reported  to  'have 
a  depth  of  about  160  feet.  The  elevation  of  the  well  is  approxi- 
mately twenty  feet  above  the  water  in  Indian  River.  The  pressure 
of  this  well,  as  indicated  by  the  pressure  gauge  March  5,  1910. 
was  five  pounds,  or  sufficient  pressure  to  cause  the  water  to  rise 
11.5  feet  above  the  surface,  or  approximately  31.5  feet  at>ove  the 
river  level. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well.  An- 
alysis made  for  the  State  Survey  in  the  office  of  the  State  Chemist, 
A.  M.  Henry,  analyst  : 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

S.l.ca  (Si02)    ............................  V 


Sulphates  (S04) 

Phosphates   (PO4)    .........................  8  00 

Carbonates   (CO3)    ...............  ........!  000 

Bicarbonates    (HCO3)     ..................  ...........  16800 

Sodium  and  potassium   (Na  and  K)    .  117400 

Magnesium  (Mg)    .........................  '''.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.'.  ne.'oo 

Calc'U'nCCa)    ..........................................  440.00 

ron  and  alumina  (Fe  and  Al)  ......................  1  OQ 

Loss  on  ignition   ..........................  ""  oeo'oo 

Total  dissolved  solids  ....................  ........  .....  5053  00 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        235 
COCOA. 

The  number  of  artesian  wells  in  and  around  Cocoa  renders  it 
impossible  to  specifically  mention  more  than  a  few  representative 
ones.  The  artesian  wells  in  this  section  terminate  at  a  medium 
depth  and  are  sunk  without  encountering  great  difficulty  in  drill- 
ing, thus  making  the  cost  comparatively  slight.  The  wells  ter- 
minate in  the  Vicksburg  Limestone,  as  indicated  by  the  mixed 
samples  of  drillings  from  the  well  of  H.  Bradford,  one  mile  south- 
west of  Cocoa.  The  water  is  reported  in  some  instances  to  con- 
tain a  trace  of  salt,  but  only  in  a  very  few  cases  was  it  found  to 
be  injurious  to  vegetation. 

The  well  of  O.  K.  Key  was  sunk  by  the  owner  in  1908.  It  is 
a  three-inch  well  and  has  a  depth  of  202  feet.  The  well  is  cased 
140  feet.  The  pressure  of  the  well,  as  indicated  by  the  gauge, 
March  10,  1910,  was  ten  pounds,  or  a  head  of  23.1  feet  above  the 
surface.  The  elevation  of  the  well  above  the  level  of  the  water 
in  the  Indian  River,  as  shown  by  barometric  readings,  is  15  feet, 
thus  giving  the  well  a  total  head  of  38.1  feet  above  the  water 
level  in  the  river.  The  water  has  a  slight  trace  of  salt  and  is 
impregnated  with  hydrogen  sulphide  gas. 

About  one-fourth  mile  southwest  of  the  city  postoffice  is  the 
well  of  the  Cocoa  Ice  Company.  This  well  is  reported  to  have 
been  drilled  in  1888.  It  is  a  four-inch  well,  325  feet  deep,  and 
cased  about  125  feet.  The  pressure  of  this  well  in  1908  was  re- 
ported to  be  twelve  and  one-quarter  pounds.  This  pressure  would 
give  the  well  a  head  of  28.2  feet  above  the  surface.  The  esti- 
mated surface  elevation  is  about  10  feet  above  the  river,  making 
a  total  head  of  38.2  feet  above  the  level  of  the  water  in  Indian 
River. 

An  artesian  well  one  mile  southeast  of  Cocoa  was  completed 
in  February,  1910.  This  well  was  drilled  by  J.  A.  Coward  and  is 
owned  by  H.  Bradford.  It  is  three  inches  in  diameter,  190  feet 
deep  and  is  cased  to  a  depth  of  80  feet.  A  mixed  sample  of  the 
drillings  taken  after  the  completion  of  the  well  indicates  that  the 
Vicksburg  Limestone  was  encountered.  The  exact  depth  at  which 
this  limestone  was  reached  could  not  be  learned.  The  volume  of 


236  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

flow,  as  measured  March  10,  1910,  was  60  gallons  per  minute 
and  the  pressure  as  indicated  by  the  pressure  gauge  on  the  same 
date  was  five  pounds  or  a  pressure  sufficient  to  cause  the  water 
to  rise  11.5  feet  above  the  surface.  The  elevation  of  the  well 
above  the  level  of  the  water  in  Indian  River,  as  shown  by  baro- 
metric readings,  is  20  feet.  This  elevation,  together  with  a  head 
of  11.5  feet  above  the  surface,  gives  the  well  a  total  head  of  31.5 
feet  above  the  river  level.  The  water  is  the  characteristic  sulphur 
water  common  to  most  of  the  artesian  wells  of  the  State. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well. 
Analysis  made  for  the  State  Survey  in  the  office  of  the  State 
Chemist,  A.  M.  Henry,  analyst: 

Constituents.  parts  per  million 

Silica  (SiO2)   12 

Chlorine  (Cl)  ]  1082 

Sulphates    (SO4) 201 

Phosphates  (PO4)   0 

Carbonates  (CO3)    \  0 

Bicarbonates    (HCO3)    ..'  152 

Sodium  and  potassium  (Na  and  K) 536 

Magnesium  (Mg)    7? 

Calcium   (Ca)    

Iron  and  alumina  (Fe  and  Al) 

Loss  on  ignition 

Total  dissolved  solids  . . 

<jo4o 

EAU  GALLIE. 

J*£  I"?,-  arteS'an  We"  ™  Eau  Gallie  wa?  dri"«l,  in  1881"    by 
ohn  McAl  ister    This  well  is  now  owned  by  George  F.  Paddison* 
feet  deep.    It  is  one  and  one-fourth  inches  in  diameter 
and  cased  136  feet.    The  depth  to  the  water  rock  was  reportd 
by   he  dnller,  Mr.  McAllister,  to  be  237  feet.    The  head  of  this 
fifiven  as  42  feet  above  the  surfa 

,1      •       _  9     *•   c*piproximateJy  o& 

the  Jevel  c     the  water  in  Indian  River.     Since  the 

Eau  Gallie,  varying  in  depth  from  3^5  tTsoTfeet" 
^principal  water  supply  is  obtained  at  a  depth  Q£  *J^£ 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        237 

The  East  Coast  Lumber  and  Supply  Company  use  two  artesian 
wells  as  a  source  for  power  in  running  a  planing"  mill.  They  are 
both  six-inch  wells  and  are  about  500  feet  deep.  The  pressure  of 
the  wells  could  not  be  obtained,  but  they  are  reported  to  have  a 
head  of  50  feet  above  the  river.  The  principal  use  of  the  sur- 
rounding artesian  wells  is  for  general  domestic  purposes  and 
irrigation. 

FRONTENAC. 

Mr.  Josiah  Thompson  owns  an  artesian  well  at  Frontenac. 
This  well  was  reported  to  be  190  feet  deep,  and  is  four  inches  in 
diameter.  The  water  is  strongly  impregnated  with  salt,  and  is 
used  for  power  to  pump  water  from  a  shallow  fresh  water  well. 
The  pressure  of  the  well  could  not  be  obtained,  but  the  head  and 
flow  were  reported  to  be  very  good. 

GRANT. 

A  four-inch  well,  now  owned  by  Mr.  Charles  Christiancy,  at 
Grant  is  the  only  flowing  well  in  the  vicinity.  The  well  is  350 
feet  deep  and  is  cased  90  feet.  It  was  drilled,  in  1896,  by  Messrs. 
Near  &  Taylor.  The  principal  supply  of  water  is  said  to  come 
from  a  depth  of  256  feet. 

MALABAR. 

Several  deep  wells  have  been  sunk  at  Malabar.  They  vary 
from  300  to  390,  or  more,  feet  in  depth.  The  principal  use  of  the 
water  is  for  irrigation  purposes. 

MELBOURNE. 

At  Melbourne,  a  record  of  several  deep  wells  was  obtained. 
Mr.  W.  T.  Wells  owns  an  artesian  well,  which  was  sunk  by  Capt. 
Alexander  Near  in  1898.  This  well  is  389  feet  deep  and  four  inches 
in  diameter.  The  pressure,  as  shown  by  the  pressure  gauge  on 
March  15,  1910,  was  eleven  and  one-quarter  pounds.  The  surface 
elevation  was  given  as  about  26  feet  above  the  level  of  the  water 
in  Indian  River,  and  this  elevation,  together  with  a  pressure  of 


238  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

eleven  and  one-quarter  pounds,  would  give  the  well  a  head  of  5]  .0 
feet  above  the  river. 

The  six-inch  well  of  Capt.  J.  S.  Sammis  is  400  feet  deep  and  is 
cased  about  73  feet.  The  pressure  of  this  well  was  taken  on 
March  15,  1910,  but  since  all  connections  to  the  well  could  not  be 
shut  off,  the  full  pressure  could  not  be  obtained.  The  reading, 
however,  was  11  pounds,  which  was  a  sufficient  pressure  to  cause 
the  water  to  rise  25.4  feet  above  the  surface,  or  about  47.4  feet 
above  the  river ;  the  well  being  about  22  feet  above  the  river. 

A  three-inch  well,  owned  by  Mr.  Wm.  R.  Campbell,  near  Mel- 
bourne is  used  for  power  purposes  and  for  irrigation.  The  water 
from  the  well  turns  an  overshot  wheel,  which  runs  a  pump,  pump- 
ing water  from  a  surface  well.  The  surface  water  is  soft  and  is 
preferred  to  the  hard  sulphur  water  of  the  deeper  well.  The  well 
is  385  feet  deep  and  was  sunk  by  Messrs.  Near  &  Taylor  in  1895. 

A  well,  one  mile  west  of  Melbourne,  owned  by  Mr.  H.  P. 
Bowden,  is  six  inches  in  diameter  and  is  400  feet  deep.  The  well 
was  sunk  by  Capt.  Alexander  Near  in  1907.  The  pressure,  as 
indicated  by  the  pressure  gauge  March  14,  1910,  was  12  pounds, 
or  a  head  of  27.7  feet  above  the  surface.  The  surface  elevation 
of  the  well,  shown  by  barometer,  was  22  feet  above  the  water  level 
in  Indian  River.  This  would  give  the  well  a  total  head  of  49.7 
feet  above  the  river.  The  water  from  this  well,  besides  being 
used  for  general  domestic  purposes,  is  used  for  bathing  and  for 
power.  Two  large  concrete  bathing  pools  have  been  built  and 
the  water  flows  continually  into  them.  The  temperature  of  the 
water  is  said  to  be  77  degrees  F.  A  water  wheel,  connected  near 
the  well,  is  used  to  pump  water  from  a  shallow,  soft  water  well. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well. 
Analysis  made  for  the  State  Survey  in  the  office  of  the  State 
Chemist,  A.  M.  Henry,  analyst  : 

Constituents.  Parts  pgr  mjiHon. 

Silica    (SiO2)    18 

Chlorine   (Cl)    '"'  [     573 

Sulphates  (SO4)  150 

Phosphates    (PO4)    0 

Carbonates  (CO3)   0 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        239 

Bicarbonates  (HCO3)  156 

Sodium  and  potassium  (Na  and  K) 269 

Magnesium   ( Mg)    68 

Calcium    (Ca)    123 

Iron  and  alumina  (Fe  and  Al) 8 

Loss  of  ignition  375 

Total  dissolved  solids  1555 

Mr.  M.  B.  Rhodes'  well,  near  the  postoffice,  at  Melbourne,  is 
45  feet  deep  and  furnishes  a  flow,  which  rises  about  three  feet 
above  the  surface.  The  elevation  of  the  well  is  about  three  feet 
above  the  water  level  in  Indian  River.  The  well  is  of  interest  in 
that  the  water  flows  at  such  a  shallow  depth.  The  materials 
penetrated  in  the  sinking  of  this  well  were  approximately  as 
follows : 

Feet. 

Sand    0     -10 

"Hardpan" 10     -11 

Sand,  water 11     -20 

"Hardpan,"  water  20    -20^2 

Sand  20^-35 

Sandy,  clay,  water,  flowing  3  feet  above  the  surface  of  the 

well    35     -45 

The  water  is  soft  and  very  desirable  for  all  domestic  purposes. 

Another  such  well  as  the  above  is  owned  by  Dr.  L.  A.  Peek. 
This  well  is  52  feet  deep,  one  and  one-fourth  inches  in  diameter 
and  furnishes  a  good  supply  of  soft  water. 

The  well  owned  by  Mr.  Oliver  Gibbs  is  located  at  Melbourne 
Beach,  across  the  Indian  River  from  Melbourne.  This  is  a  four- 
inch  well  drilled,  in  1907,  by  Capt.  Alexander  Near.  It  reached 
a  total  depth  of  318  feet  and  is  cased  100  feet.  The  pressure  of 
the  well,  as  indicated  by  the  pressure  gauge  March  15,  1910,  was 
17^2  pounds.  This  gives  the  well  a  head  of  40.4  feet  above  the 
surface,  or  estimating  the  surface  elevation  of  the  well  to  be  12 
feet  above  the  river  level,  a  total  head  of  52.4  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  water  in  Indian  River.  From  an  examination  of  a  mixed 
sample  from  the  drillings  of  this  well,  it  is  seen  that  the  Vicksburg 
Limestone  is  reached.  From  Mr.  Gibb's  record  made  at  the  time 
the  well  was  drilled,  it  would  appear  that  this  formation  was 


240  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

encountered  at  a  depth  of  221  feet.    The  log,  as  made  out  by  Mr. 

Gibbs.  is  as  follows : 

Feet. 

Surface  sands  and  soil  °  -    3 

Yellow  sand  3  -  n 

Coquina  rock   H  -  21 

Fine  gray  sand   21  -  51 

Shell  and  sand   51  -  56 

Hard  shell  rock 56  -119 

Greenish  clay  H9  -173 

Dark  colored  rock ;  sharks'  teeth  173  -173J4 

Greenish  clay  173^-174J4 

Dark  colored  rock ;  sharks'  teeth 174^-175 

Greenish  clay  175  -221 

Vicksburg  Limestone.     Increase  of  flow  with  depth.  A 
pressure  of  Iiy2  pounds  at  this  depth  was  shown  by 

the  gauge  March  15,  1910.     Mild  sulphur  water....  221  -318 

MERRITTS  ISLAND. 

From  the  well  records  obtained  in  this  locality,  it  is  probable 
that  flowing  artesian  wells  can  be  obtained  at  any  point  on  Merritt 
Island.  Record  of  wells  are  on  file  from  every  postoffice  on  the 
island,  bordering  the  Indian  River.  Also,  records  have  been 
obtained  from  Artesia,  Cape  Canaveral  Light  House,  and  Cana- 
veral Club  House,  on  the  peninsula,  east  of  the  island ;  good  flows 
being  reported  from  all  of  these  localities.  The  pressure  of  two 
of  the  wells  on  the  southern  end  of  the  island  was  obtained,  one 
at  Lotus  and  one  at  Tropic.  The  well  of  L.  D.  Hancock,  one 
mile  south  of  Lotus,  has  a  depth  of  about  300  feet.  The  pressure 
of  this  well  March  12,  1910,  was  16  pounds.  The  elevation  of  the 
well,  according  to  barometric  readings,  is  10  feet.  This,  together 
with  a  pressure  of  16  pounds,  gives  the  well  a  total  head  of  46.9 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  water  in  Indian  River.  The  following 
is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well.  Analysis  made  for  the 
State  Survey  in  the  office  of  the  State  Chemist,  A.  M.  Henry, 
analyst : 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

SilU-i    (Si02) 12 

Chlorine   (Cl)    .642 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        241 

Sulphates    (SO4)    178 

Phosphates    (PO4)    0 

Carbonates   (CO3)    0 

Bicarbonates    (HCO3)    149 

Sodium  and  potassium  (Na  and  K) 309 

Magnesium    (Mg)    03 

Calcium    (Ca)    132 

Iron  and  alumina  (Fe  and  Al)    3 

Loss  on  ignition   370 

Total  dissolved  solids  1710 

At  Tropic  Mrs.  John  W.  Merrill  has  two  artesian  wells,  two 
and  three  inches  respectively.  These  wells  were  drilled  about 
1885.  The  depth  was  not  learned.  The  gauge  on  the  two-inch 
well,  March  12,  1910,  indicated  a  pressure  of  16^  pounds,  or  a 
head  of  38.1  feet  above  the  surface,  or  about  48  feet  above  the 
water  level  in  Indian  River.  The  wells  are  used  for  general 
purposes  and  give  an  excellent  flow  of  sulphur  water. 

From  the  records  obtained  it  appears  that  the  pressure  of  the 
wells  on  the  island  increases  in  passing  from  north  to  south.  At 
Lotus  the  pressure  was  16  pounds ;  at  Tropic  16^  pounds,  and 
at  Melbourne  Beach  17^  pounds.  No  measurements  of  the  pres- 
sure of  the  wells  north  of  Lotus  were  obtained. 

MICCO. 

The  wells  at  Micco  have,  for  the  most  part,  been  drilled  a 
number  of  years  and,  for  this  reason,  no  satisfactory  records  could 
be  obtained.  The  principal  use  of  the  water  is  for  irrigating 
purposes.  One  well,  drilled  in  1908  for  Peter  Bertleson  by  J.  L. 
Mobley,  was  never  completed.  The  well  is  3  inches  in  diameter 
and  is  cased  180  feet.  At  a  depth  of  300  feet  the  drill  was  broken 
off  and  was  never  recovered.  A  flow  coming  just  over  the  top 
of  the  casing  was  obtained  at  this  depth. 

ROCKLEDGE. 

The  Rockledge  wells  vary  in  depth  from  150  to  480  feet.  These 
wells  are  the  principal  source  of  domestic  water  supply,  as  well  as 
being  used  for  irrigating  purposes.  In  a  few  instances  the  artesian 


242  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

wells  are  used  for  power  purposes,  such  as  for  generating  elec- 
tricity by  means  of  a  water  turbine.  A  ten-inch  well,  drilled  in 
1893  and  now  owned  by  Mr.  G.  M.  Houston,  about  one  and  one- 
half  miles  south  of  Rockledge,  is  used  for  this  purpose.  The  well 
has  a  reported  depth  of  480  feet.  A  gauge  on  the  well  indicated 
a  pressure  of  12  y2  pounds,  March  10,  1910,  or  a  head  of  28.8  feet 
above  this  point.  The  gauge  was  estimated  to  be  ten  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  water  in  the  river,  thus  giving  the  well  a  total 
head  of  38.8  feet  above  the  river  level.  The  water  contains  a  trace 
of  salt,  as  is  common  to  the  wells  in  this  vicinity. 

The  well  of  Mr.  H.  S.  Williams  is  of  particular  interest,  in  that 
it  is  the  only  well  in  this  vicinity,  of  which  a  log  has  been  obtained. 
It  was  drilled  about  1890  and  is  304  feet  deep.  It  is  three  inches 
in  diameter  and  is  cased  130  feet.  The  following  is  a  log  of  this 
well,  as  reported  by  Mr.  Williams : 

Feet. 

Sand  and  soil  0     -  10 

Coquina   rock    10     -  30 

Sand    30     -ioo 

Sand  rock   100     -140 

Blue  clay  140     -170 

Hard  flint  rock.    At  this  depth  water  rose  to  the  surface, 

small  stream   170     -173 

Rock  in  layer  from  3  to  18  inches  thick 173     -269 

Hard  rock   269     -273 

Soft  rock 273     -278% 

Hard  rock,  good  flow  of  water 278%-304% 

The  first  flow  in  the  well,  as  will  be  seen  by  consulting  the  log, 
was  obtained  from  a  depth  of  170-173  feet.  At  this  depth  3  feet 
of  hard  flint  rock  was  encountered  and  on  penetrating  this  stratum 
the  first  water-bearing  formation  was  reached. 

SHARPES. 

Several  flowing  wells  occur  in  and  near  Sharpes.  The  water 
here  contains  salt  to  such  an  extent  that  it  can  not  be  used  for 
irrigation.  The  well  of  J.  W.  Spafford  furnished  the  following 
record.  The  well  is  four  inches  in  diameter  and  200  feet  deep. 
It  is  reported  cased  only  about  40  feet,  and  to  have  a  head  of  10 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        243 

feet  above  the  surface.  The  first  flow  was  encountered  at  70  feet 
and  it  is  reported  by  the  driller,  Capt.  W.  H.  Sharpes,  that  neither 
the  head  nor  the  volume  increased  with  the  depth.  As  indicated 
from  the  well  records  and  from  all  obtainable  information,  only  a 
small  amount  of  casing  was  used  in  the  wells  in  this  vicinity,  and 
a  knowledge  as  to  whether  or  not  fresh  water  was  encountered 
below  the  stratum  of  salt  water  is,  therefore,  lacking. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  the  well  of  J. 
J.  Ollif,  Sharpes,  Fla.  This  well  is  near  the  Spafford  well  and 
approximately  one  mile  north  of  the  Hendry  well,  at  City  Point, 
analysis  of  which  is  given  on  page  234.  Analysis  made  for  the 
State  Survey  in  the  office  of  the  State  Chemist,  A.  M.  Henry, 
analyst : 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Silica  (SiO2)   16 

Chlorine   (Cl)    3120 

Sulphates    (SO4)    302 

Phosphates  (PO.i) 0 

Carbonates  (CO3)    •  0 

Bicarbonates  (HCO3)  165 

Sodium  and  potassium  (Na  and  K) 1634 

Magnesium  (Mg)  286 

Calcium  (Ca)    262 

Iron  and  alumina  (Fe  and  Al) 4 

Loss  on  ignition   974 

Total  dissolved  solids  6520 

TILLMAN. 

The  only  deep  well  at  Tillman.  of  which  record  has  been 
obtained,  was  drilled  by  John  McAllister,  in  1890,  and  is  owned 
by  R.  A.  Conkling.  It  is  350  feet  deep  and  furnishes  an  excellent 
flow  of  water,  which  is  used  for  general  domestic  purposes. 

TITUSVILLE. 

Titusville,  the  county  seat  of  Brevard  County,  is  located  on  the 
Indian  River.  Several  artesian  wells  have  been  sunk  at  this 
locality,  but  up  to  the  present  time  principally  salt  water  has  been 


244  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

obtained.  A  test  well,  put  down  about  1890,  was  drilled  to  a  total 
depth  of  864  feet.  A  salt  water  stratum  was  reached  at  a  depth  of 
about  100  feet.  The  well  was  cased  to  a  depth  of  about  110  feet, 
but  no  attempt  was  made  to  case  off  the  salt  water.  Both  the 
flow  and  the  head  is  reported  to  have  increased  with  increase  of 
depth.  Several  other  wells  have  been  subsequently  drilled  in  and 
near  the  city.  One  of  these,  located  at  the  Dixie  Hotel,  is  said  to 
have  been  drilled  to  a  depth  of  about  400  feet.  Another,  located 
at  the  Grand  View  Hotel,  drilled  about  1895,  is  believed  to  have 
reached  the  depth  of  about  200  feet.  Two  other  wells,  one  located 
at  the  old  plant  of  the  Florida  Extract  Company,  the  other  at  the 
plant  of  the  Titusville  Ice  Company,  were  drilled  to  a  depth  of  150 
and  145  feet,  respectively.  Salt  water  was  obtained  from  all  of 
these  wells,  and  in  none  of  them  was  an  attempt  made,  so  far  as 
the  records  indicate,  to  go  through  or  to  case  off  the  salt  water 
stratum.  Fresh  water  is  obtained  from  shallow  driven  wells, 
none  of  which  exceed  100  feet  in  depth.  The  water  obtained 
from  these  wells,  as  a  rule,  does  not  flow.  In  at  least  one  instance, 
however,  a  small  flowing  fresh-water  well  has  been  obtained  at 
a  depth  of  less  than  100  feet.  The  wells,  which  exceed  100  feet 
in  depth,  as  stated  above,  have  yielded  only  salt  water. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  of  the  well  of  the 
Titusville  Ice  Company.  Analysis  made  for  the  State  Survey  in 
the  office  of  the  State  Chemist,  A.  M.  Henry,  analyst : 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Silica    (SiO2)    8 

Chlorine  (Cl)  11879 

Sulphates  (SO4) 547 

Phosphates  ( PO-i)   0 

Bicarbonates  (HCO3) 177 

Sodium  and  potassium  (Na  and  K) 6542 

Magnesium  (Mg)   669 

Calcium  (Ca)    637 

Iron  and  alumina  (Fe  and  Al) 3 

Loss  on  ignition  1380 

Trtal  dissolved  soli'ls  .  .23060 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        245 

VALKARIA. 

A  record  of  one  deep  well,  at  Valkaria,  has  been  obtained.  This 
well  was  drilled  by  Mr.  W.  J.  Nesbitt,  in  1892,  for  Mr.  E.  A. 
Svedelius.  It  is  a  3-inch  well,  350  feet  deep,  and  is  cased  to  a 
depth  of  90  feet.  The  water  is  reported  to  rise  15  feet  or  more 
above  the  surface.  At  a  depth  of  320  feet  hard  rock  was  en- 
countered and,  immediately  below  this  rock,  the  first  water,  under 
sufficient  pressure  to  cause  it  to  rise  to  the  surface,  was  obtained. 

ST.  LUCIE  COUNTY. 
LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

St.  Lucie  County  lies  south  of  Brevard  County.  It  is  42  miles 
long  and  from  24  to  42  miles  in  width.  Ft.  Drum  ridge  in  this 
county  has  an  elevation  of  66.74  feet  above  the  mean  sea  level.* 
The  eastern  part  of  the  county,  aside  from  the  line  of  sand  dunes 
near  the  coast,  consists  largely  of  palmetto  flatwoods.  Towards 
the  west  border  the  land  is  more  rolling  and  numerous  small  lakes 
occur.  Some  muck  lands  are  found  near  the  headwaters  of  the 
St.  Johns  River. 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

The  wells  of  this  county,  as  elsewhere  along  the  East  Coast, 
reach  the  Vicksburg  Limestones.  These  limestones,  however,  dip 
in  passing  to  the  south  and  lie  at  a  greater  depth  in  St.  Lucie 
County  than  in  the  adjoining  counties  to  the  north.  The  wells  of 
the  St.  Lucie  Ice  Company,  at  Ft.  Pierce,  are  812  feet  deep  and, 
probably,  reach  the  Vicksburg  Limestone.  The  first  flow  from  the 
wells,  at  Ft.  Pierce,  is  reported  to  have  been  obtained  from  the 
depth  of  725  to  750  feet. 

AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW  OF  ST.  LUCIE  COUNTY. 

Owing  to  the  few  wells  that  have  been  drilled,  the  area  of 
artesian  flow  in  St.  Lucie  County  is  imperfectly  determined. 


*Survey  made  in  1903,  under  the  direction  of  Captain  F.  R.   Shunk. 
U.  S.  Army. 


246  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Along  the  East  Coast  wells  are  in  use  as  far  as  the  southern  line 
of  the  county.  It  is  probable  that  flowing  wells  can  be  obtained 
for  some  miles  inland  from  the  coast. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 
EDEN. 

A  four-inch  well  at  Eden,  owned  by  Mr.  Chas.  Edison,  was 
sunk  by  Messrs.  Fee  &  Nesbitt  and  is  870  feet  deep.  The  water  is 
used  for  general  and  irrigation  purposes.  It  rises  25  feet  above 
the  surface.  It  is  a  hard  water  and  is  impregnated  with  hydrogen 
sulphide. 

FT.  PIERCE. 

Two  artesian  wells  occur  at  Ft.  Pierce,  the  county  seat  of  St. 
Lucie  County.  These  are  owned  by  the  St.  Lucie  Ice  Company. 
The  wells  are  reported  to  have  a  depth  of  812  feet.  One  is  six 
inches  in  diameter,  the  other  2  inches,  and  both  are  reported  cased 
200  feet.  The  first  flow  is  said  to  have  been  obtained  from  lime- 
stone, at  a  depth  of  from  725  to  750  feet.  The  last  100  feet  of 
the  welt  is  said  to  have  been  through  this  limestone.  The  follow- 
ing is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  one  of  these  wells.  Analysis 
by  the  Geo.  W.  Lord  Company,  2238-2250  North  Ninth  Street, 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Chester  Alsmere,  chemist,  reported  January 
18,  1907: 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Organic  and  volatile  matter  51.311 

Calcium  oxide 70.650 

Magnesium  oxide   31.939 

Sodium    oxide    736.846 

Sulphur  trioxide   241.489 

Chlorine    446.737 

Carbonic  acid  (combined)    204.081 

Silica    33.979 

As  will  be  seen  in  the  above  analysis  this  water  contains  a  high 
percentage  of  sodium  and  chlorine.  The  water  tastes  brackish, 
and  is  used  for  cooling  purposes  in  the  manufacture  of  ice.  The 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        247 

principal  water  supply  for  domestic  purposes,  in  and  around  Ft. 
Pierce,  is  obtained  from  shallow  wells,  ranging-  in  depth  from  12 
to  50  feet. 

The  following  is  a  record  of  a  well  drilled  at  Ft.  Pierce  by 
H.  Walker  for  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway  in  1912.  The  well 
is  814  feet  deep  and  is  cased  with  eight-inch  casing  184  feet  and 
9  inches,  and  with  six-inch  casing  570  feet  and  10  inches.  The 
head  above  the  surface  is  28  feet  and  6  inches.  The  head  above 
Indian  River  is  46  feet.  The  well  flows  800  gallons  per  minute  at 
the  surface.  The  record  has  been  kindly  supplied  by  Mr.  G.  A. 
Miller,  of  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway. 

Feet. 

Yellow  sand   0-55 

Shell  and  sand  55-75 

Shell  and  gravel  75-85 

Shell,  sand  and  clay   85-120 

Blue  clay  and  sand 120-135 

Soft  blue  clay  and  very  fine  sand 135-145 

Blue  clay  and  sand 145-165 

Blue  clay   165-190 

Tough,  dry  blue  clay 190-200 

Soft  sandy,  blue  clay  200-250 

Hard  sandy,  blue  clay 250-300 

Smooth  blue  clay,  no  sand 300-400 

Blue  clay,  very  tough  and  sticky 400-460 

Yellow  clay,  with  black  streaks  in  it 460-500 

Yellow  clay,  with  a  few  pebbles 500-520 

Blue  clay,  tough  and  sticky 520-545 

Very  hard  yellow  clay  545-555 

Blue  clay,  very  sticky  555-585 

Yellow  clay  in  hard  and  soft  layers 585-600 

Yellow  clay,  very  dry 600-647 

Shell  and  soft  rock 647-656 

Tough  white  clay  656-662 

Hard  white  rock  662-676 

Soft  rock,  small  flow  676-685 

Soft    limestone   rock,   flow   increasing   very    slowly   with 

depth    685-807 

Hard  rock  307-814 


248  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well  made 
by  the  American  Water  Softener  Company,  Philadelphia,  Pa. : 

Grains  per  Parts  per 

Constituents.                                                  U.  S.  gallon,  million. 

Calcium  carbonate   1.71  29.31 

Calcium  sulphate    8.34  142.97 

Magnesium  carbonate  9.26  156.73 

Sodium  sulphate  18.90  324.00 

Sodium  chloride   43.50  745.71 

Free  carbonic  acid  1.00  17.14 

Iron,  aluminum  and  silica  0.28  4.70 

Incrusting  solids   19.59  335.83 

Non-incrusting  solids    62.40  1069.72 


Total  solids    83.00  1422.86 

NARROWS. 

Two  deep  wells  are  reported  from  Narrows.  One  is  owned 
by  Mr.  F.  Foster,  the  other  by  Mr.  E.  L.  Gray.  These  wells  were 
drilled  by  Mr.  W.  J.  Nesbitt  about  the  year  1892.  Both  are  three 
inches  in  diameter  and  420  feet  deep.  The  height  to  which  the 
water  would  rise  above  the  surface  was  not  obtained,  but  the  wells 
are  reported  to  have  a  head  of  several  feet,  and  to  furnish  a  strong 
flow  of  water. 

ORCHID. 

Mr.  S.  K.  Michael  owns  an  artesian  well  at  Orchid.  This  well 
was  sunk  by  Capt.  Alexander  Near  in  1896.  It  is  480  feet  deep, 
four  inches  in  diameter  and  is  cased  85  feet.  The  well  is  reported 
to  have  a  head  of  40  feet  above  sea,  and  to  furnish  an  abundant 
supply  of  hard,  sulphur  water. 

ROSELAND. 

The  artesian  wells  at  Roseland  have  been  drilled  for  a  number 
of  years  and,  for  this  reason,  no  very  definite  information  could 
be  obtained.  Mr.  L.  C.  Moore  owns  three  wells,  located  about 
one  and  one-half  miles  north  of  Roseland,  on  the  point  between 
the  Sebastian  and  Indian  Rivers.  These  wells  range  in  depth 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        249 

from  350  to  453  feet.    The  water  is  hard  and  impregnated  with 
hydrogen  sulphide  and  is  used  for  irrigating  and  general  purposes. 

SEBASTIAN. 

There  are  several  flowing  artesian  wells  in  and  near  Sebastian. 
They  vary  in  depth  from  365  to  500  feet.  At  this  depth  an  abun- 
dance of  hard  sulphuretted  water  is  obtained,  rising  from  16  to  25, 
or  more,  feet  above  the  surface.  A  well  owned  by  Mr.  J.  A. 
Groves,  drilled  by  Mr.  J.  McAllister,  was  completed  in  1896.  This 
well  is  460  feet  deep,  four  inches  in  diameter,  and  is  cased  100  feet. 
The  water  is  reported  to  have  a  head  of  16  feet  above  the  surface, 
the  surface  elevation  being  estimated  at  25  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  water  in  Indian  River.  The  total  head  of  the  well  above  the 
river  is  thus  41  feet.  The  water  is  used  for  general  and  domestic 
purposes  and  for  irrigation.  A  four-inch  well,  drilled  by  Capt. 
Alexander  Near,  in  1901,  owned  by  the  Indian  River  Cooperage 
Company,  is  365  feet  deep.  The  water  is  reported  to  rise  25  or 
more  feet  above  the  surface.  The  elevation  of  the  depot  at  Sebas- 
tian, according  to  levels  run  by  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway, 
is  19  feet.  This  well  has  approximately  the  same  elevation  as  the 
depot,  and  this,  in  addition  to  head  of  25  feet  above  the  surface, 
gives  the  well  a  total  head  of  44  feet  above  sea.  The  well  is  now 
abandoned,  but,  when  first  sunk,  was  used  for  the  manufacture 
of  ice. 

The  Fellsmere  Farms  Company  have  recently  completed  a  well, 
about  ten  miles  west  of  Sebastian  (Sec.  22,  T.  31  S.,  R.  37  E.)- 
The  well  is  four  inches  in  diameter,  370  feet  deep,  and  is  cased  146 
feet.  The  head,  tested  September  23,  1910,  by  Mr.  E.  H.  Every, 
manager,  was  found  to  be  25  feet  above  the  surface,  and  the  flow 
185  gallons  per  minute.* 

The  following  is  the  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well  made 
by  the  State  Chemist : 

Constituents.  Parts  per  million. 

Chlorine    (Cl)    257 

Carbonates  (CO3)    0 


*Letter  to  Capt.  R.  E.  Rose,  State  Chemist,  Sept.  23.  1910. 


250  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Bicarbonates   (HCO3)    177 

Loss  on  ignition  245 

Total  dissolved  solids  905 

PIN  ELLAS  COUNTY. 
LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

Pinellas  County  lies  on  the  Gulf  Coast  and  includes  the  penin- 
sula between  Tampa  Bay  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  The  area  of 
the  land  surface  of  the  county  is  approximately  260  square  miles. 
The  surface  is  prevailingly  level,  with  a  gradual  rise  in  passing 
inland  from  the  coast.  The  county  is  crossed  by  the  Atlantic 
Coast  Line  Railroad,  and  by  the  Tampa  and  Gulf  Coast  Railroad. 
The  elevations  recorded  by  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  Railroad  are 
as  follows:  Belleair,  49  feet;  Clearwater,  29  feet;  Dunedin,  13 
feet ;  Largo,  50  feet ;  St.  Petersburg,  20  feet ;  Tarpon  Springs,  14 
feet. 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

The  deep  wells  in  Pinellas  County  doubtless  terminate  in  the 
Vicksburg  Limestone. 

AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW. 

The  flowing  area,  in  this  county,  includes  a  narrow  strip  bor- 
dering the  coast  and  extending  somewhat  north  of  Dunedin.  Flow- 
ing wells  can  probably  be  obtained  along  the  shore  entirely  around 
Tampa  Bay.  The  accompanying  map  shows  the  area  in  this 
county,  in  which  it  is  believed  that  flowing  wells  can  be  obtained. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 
CLEARWATER. 

Clearwater  is  near  the  center  of  the  county,  from  north  to 
south.  The  city  water  supply,  at  Clearwater,  is  taken  from  a  well 
250  feet  deep.  A  second  well,  270  feet  deep,  is  held  in  reserve. 
Both  wells  are  eight  inches  in  diameter  and  are  cased  about  30  feet. 
When  not  in  use  the  wells  flow,  but  when  either  well  is  being 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        251 

pumped  the  head  is  reduced,  stopping  the  flow  in  the  other  well. 
The  270-foot  well  has  brackish  water. 

The  Clearwater  Ice  Factory  has  three  wells,  46,  52  and  80  feet 
deep.  They  are  all  cased  30  feet  and  the  water  is  reported  to 
stand  26  feet  from  the  surface.  These  wells  are  located  on  high 
ground,  the  difference  in  elevation  being  probably  sufficient  to 
account  for  the  difference  in  head  between  these  and  the  city  wells. 

DUNEDIN. 

Flowing  wells  are  obtained  along  the  coast  at  Dunedin.  The 
wells  range  in  depth  from  55  to  120  feet.  C.  B.  Bowden  has  a 
six-inch  well,  98  feet  deep  and  cased  70  feet,  in  which  the  water 
stands  20  feet  from  the  surface.  This  well  is  used  as  a  public 
supply.  T.  J.  Zimmerman  has  a  well,  at  this  locality,  68  feet  deep, 
in  which  the  water  stands  12  feet  from  the  surface.  W.  C.  McLain 
has  a  flowing  artesian  well,  about  two  miles  north  of  Dunedin. 
This  well  is  202  feet  deep  and  is  estimated  to  flow  10  gallons  a 
minute.  This  is  the  northernmost  flowing  well  in  this  county. 

ESPIRITU  SANTO  SPRINGS. 

The  Espiritu  Santo  Springs,  located  near  the  north  end  of 
Tampa  Bay,  include  five  springs.  The  following  is  an  analysis  of 
the  water  from  the  one  known  as  the  drinking  spring:  Analysis 
by  the  N.  B.  Pratt  Laboratory,  Atlanta,  Georgia : 

Grains  per  Parts  per 

Constituents.                                                 U.  S.  gallon,  million. 

Peroxide  of  iron  and  alumina  .1692  2.9007 

Sodium  chloride   137.8520  2363.2208 

Magnesium  chloride   25.8768  443.5292 

Potassium  sulphate   3.4815  59.6854 

Calcium  sulphate   19.7172  338.0297 

Calcium  carbonate   - 12.6145  216.2607 

Silica    .                                               9972  17.0958 


Total  solids  by  evaporation 254.9165        4370.2629 


252  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

LARGO. 

Several  wells  have  been  drilled  at  Largo.  Lewis  Johnson  has  a 
four-inch  well,  200  feet  deep,  which  is  used  as  a  public  well.  Joel 
McMullen  has  a  well,  about  eight  miles  southwest  of  Largo,  227 
feet  deep,  in  which  the  water  stands  15  feet  from  the  surface. 

OZONA. 

The  wells  at  Ozona  are  mostly  50  to  60  feet  deep.  A  two-inch 
well,  owned  by  Wm.  Woods,  is  80  feet  deep  and  the  water  stands 
eight  feet  below  the  surface.  C.  R.  C.  Smith  has  a  well  106  feet 
deep,  but  the  water  at  this  depth  is  said  to  be  salty. 

PASS-A-GRILLE. 

The  following  is  a  log  of  a  four-inch  well,  256  feet  deep,  drilled 
by  J.  C.  Danielson,  and  is  used  as  a  public  well.  The  well  is  cased 
204  feet  and  the  water  rises  14  feet  above  sea : 

Feet. 

White  beach  sand 0-     3 

Shells    3-     7 

Fine  sand    7-  35 

Coquina  35-41 

Quicksand  and  blue  clay 41-  80 

Hard  blue  clay   80-200 

Limestone,  principal  flow  from  230  feet 205-256 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well. 

Analysis  made  in  the  office  of  the  State  Chemist  of  Florida,  A.  M. 

Henry,  analyst: 

Milligrams  per  liter. 
(Parts  per  million.) 

Si02   46.2 

Fe  and  Al   62 

Ca 393.8 

M8 187.0 

Na .     611.9 


K   .. 

Cl. 

C03 


10.9 
1560.2 


0.0 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        253 

HCO3    204.4 

SO4    754.7 

PO4    0.0 


Total    3775.3 

These  may  be  combined  as  follows : 

KC1 20.8 

NaCl 1555.3 

MgCl2    777.9 

CaCl2    25.0 

CaSO4    1068.6 

Ca  (HCO3)2  271.6 

CaSiOs    -. .       10.7 

SiO2    39.2. 

Fe  and  Al 6.2 

PINELLAS  PARK. 

A  six-inch  well,  drilled  at  this  locality  by  J.  C.  Danielson, 
reached  a  total  depth  of  325  feet.  The  water  in  the  well  stands 
five  feet  from  the  surface. 

ST.  PETERSBURG. 

Flowing  wells  are  obtained  at  St.  Petersburg,  along  the  coast, 
the  water  rising  10  to  14  feet  above  sea  level.  A  well  near  the 
dock  is  four  inches  in  diameter  and  100  feet  deep.  The  water 
from  this  well  rises  10  feet  above  the  surface.  Another  well  near 
the  bay,  about  one  mile  southeast  of  St.  Petersburg,  was  drilled 
480  feet  deep.  The  water  from  this  well  rises  about  10  feet  above 
the  surface  and  is  salty. 

The  city  supply  at  St.  Petersburg  is  obtained  from  one  seven- 
inch  and  two  ten-inch  wells,  variously  reported  at  135  and  235 
feet  deep.  These  wells  are  located  on  the  upland,  about  31^  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  bay.  When  first  drilled,  the  water  is  said 
to  have  stood  22  feet  from  the  surface,  but,  after  being  used  for 
some  time,  the  water  level  was  reduced  to  36  feet  from  the  surface. 
The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  made  by  Dearborn  Drug 
and  Chemical  Works,  Chicago,  111.,  December  11,  1911 : 


2o±  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Grains  per  Parts  per 
Constituents.                                                  U.  S.  gallon,      million. 

Silica   934  16.012 

Oxides  of  iron  and  alumina -117  2.005 

Carbonate  of  lime   9.900  169.724 

Chloride  of  lime  2.761  47.334 

Sulphate  of  lime    405  6.943 

Carbonate  of  magnesia    Trace 

Chloride  of  magnesia   1.993  34.167 

Sodium  and  potassium  sulphates Trace 

Sodium  and  potassium  chlorides 4.964  85.102 

Loss,    etc 183  3.137 

Total  soluble  mineral  solids 21.257  364.427 

Suspended   matter    1.168  20.024 

Organic  matter  Trace 

Total  soluble   incrusting  solids 16.110  276.188 

Total  soluble  non-incrusting  solids 5.147  98.239 

The  following  is  analysis  of  water  from  one  of  these  wells. 
Analysis  made  in  the  office  of  the  State  Chemist,  A.  M.  Henry, 
analyst : 

Well  water  of  155-foot  city  well  of  St.  Petersburg,  Pinellas 
County,  Florida: 

Milligrams  per  liter. 

(Parts  per  million.) 

Silica   (SiO2)    28.5 

Iron  and  alumina  (Fe  and  Al) 0.9 

Calcium    (Ca)    92.6 

Magnesium  (Mg)    9.6 

Sodium  (Na)    

Potassium    (K)    

Chlorine  (Cl)   120.6 

Carbonates    (CO3)    0.0 

Bicarbonates  (HCOa)    216.6 

Sulphates  (SO.O    2:1 

Phosphates   (PO4)    .  1.5 


Total    580.00 

The  following  is  a  log  of  a  six-inch  well,  99  feet  deep,  drilled 
by  J.  C.  Danielson,  and  owned  by  the  St.  Petersburg  Investment 
Company.  The  well  was  drilled  in  1912  and  is  cased  64^  feet. 


WATER  SUPPLY  Ol'  EASTERN  ANH  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        255 

Feet. 

Casing  driven  and  no  record 0    -64J^ 

Hard  lime  rock  64l/2-&9% 

Soft  lime  rock  69J/2-71 

Close  grained  lime  rock 71    -86 

Water-bearing  rock   86    -88 

Hard  lime  rock  88     -99 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well  made 
by  the  Bird-Archer  Company,  90  West  Street,  New  York  City : 

Grains  per  Parts  per 

Constituents.                                                   U.  S.  gallon,  million. 

Organic  and  volatile  matter  4.717  80.867 

Sodium  chloride  3.244  55.614 

Calcium  carbonate   9.529  163.364 

Magnesium  chloride    2.332  39.979 

Total   solids    19.822  339.826 

Free  carbonic  acid  9.415  161.409 

The  following  is  a  log  of  a  six-inch  well,  155  feet  deep,  owned 
and  drilled  by  ].  C.  Danielson.  The  well  is  located  on  the  bay 
shore,  two  miles  north  of  St.  Petersburg.  It  is  cased  76  feet,  and 
the  water  rises  about  three  feet  above  the  surface.  The  flow  is 
estimated  at  200  gallons  per  minute. 

Feet. 

Soil  o   -   iy2 

Dark  colored  sand  \l/2-    9 

Hard  pan  9  -  16 

White  water-bearing  sand  16  -  50 

White  clay  50  -  60 

Water-bearing  rock   60  -  66 

Light  brown,  sticky  clay 66  -  76 

Rock,  alternating  hard  and  soft  strata 76  -156 

The  following  is  a  log  of  a  four-inch  well,  230  feet  deep,  drilled 
by  ].  C.  Danielson  for  R.  S.  Hanna,  at  Maximo  Point,  five  miles 
southwest  of  St.  Petersburg.  The  elevation  at  the  well  is  about 
seven  feet  above  sea  and  the  water  rises  six  feet  above  the  surface, 
or  a  total  head  of  about  thirteen  feet  above  sea.  The  well  is  cased 
36  feet. 


256  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Feet. 

Soil   0    -    1 

Marl-clay  1     -     2 

Rock    2    -    2% 

Quicksand  2^-72 

Blue  clay  72    -  76 

Limestone    76    -230 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well. 
Analysis  made  in  the  office  of  the  State  Chemist,  A.  M.  Henry, 
analyst.  Sample  taken  by  H.  Gunter,  May  14,  1912 : 

Milligrams  per  liter. 

(Parts  per  million.) 

PO4    0.0 

SiO2 42.2 

SO4    558.6 

CO3    0.0 

HCO3    180.0 

Cl 1117.0 

Fe  and  Al 2.6 

Ca    328.6 

Mg 122.8 

K   8.8 

Na    462.2 

O  (calculated)    7.8 


Total    2830.6 

These  may  be  combined  as  follows : 

KC1    24.8 

NaCl    1175.2 

MgCl2    480.9 

CaCl2   46.7 

CaSO4    791.7 

Ca  (HC03)2  239.1 

CaSiO3    56.9 

SiO2    12.7 

Fe  and  Al  . .  26 


Total    . .   2830.6 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        257 
SEMINOLE. 

A  number  of  wells  have'been  drilled  in  the  vicinity  of  Seminole. 
A  four-inch  well,  owned  by  Frank  Grable,  near  the  locality,  drilled 
by  T.  J  Zimmerman,  reached  a  depth  of  270  feet.  The  water  is 
reported  to  stand  16  feet  from  the  surface. 

SUTHERLAND. 

Several  wells  have  been  drilled  at  Sutherland.  Those  exceed- 
ing about  100  feet  in  depth  are  reported  to  reach  salt  water. 
Fresh  water  is  obtained  from  50  to  100  feet. 

TARPON  SPRINGS. 

The  city  supply  at  Tarpon  Springs  is  obtained  from  three  six- 
inch  wells,  80,  108  and  126  feet  deep  respectively.  The  water 
stands  20  feet  from  the  surface.  The  Polar  Ice  Company  also 
have  three  wells,  82,  90  and  120  feet  deep  respectively.  In  the 
deepest  of  these  salt  water  was  reached  at  120  feet,  and  the  well 
was  plugged  at  100  feet. 

Tarpon  Springs,  at  this  locality,  comes  up  in  a  bayou  from 
Anciote  River.  Although  covered  at  high  tide,  the  strong  boil 
from  the  spring  can  be  seen  at  medium  and  low  tides. 

WALL  SPRINGS. 

A  well,  drilled  at  Wall  Springs  by  T.  J.  Zimmerman  for  W. 
W.  Clark,  reached  a  total  depth  of  313  feet.  Fresh  water  was 
found  in  this  well  to  a  depth  of  about  90  feet.  Below  90  feet 
the  water  is  brackish.  Three  lines  of  casing  were  used  in  this 
well  as  follows:  eight-inch,  six-inch  and  four-inch.  The  four- 
inch  casing  is  said  to  reach  312  feet.  The  water  in  the  well 
stands  13  feet  from  the  surface.  There  are  a  number  of  wells 
that  have  been  drilled  at  this  locality  from  50  to  90  feet  deep  and 
yield  a  fresh  water. 

Wall  Spring,  at  this  locality,  has  an  estimated  flow  of  3,000 
gallons  per  minute.  The  water  from  this  spring  is  used  for 
medicinal  purposes. 


258  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

HILLSBORO  COUNTY. 
LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

Hillsboro  County  includes  an  area  of  1,049  square  miles.  The 
county  is  crossed  by  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  Railroad  and  by  the 
Seaboard  Air  Line  Railway,  and  their  branches,  and  by  the 
Tampa  Northern  Railroad.  The  elevation  rises  in  passing  inland 
from  Tampa  Bay  and  the  Gulf.  Plant  City,  near  the  east  line 
of  the  county,  is  reported,  by  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  Railroad, 
to  be  137  feet  above  sea  level.  The  level  given  by  the  Seaboard 
Air  Line  Railway  for  this  locality  is  125  feet  above  sea  level. 
The  elevation  of  other  points  in  this  county,  along  the  Seaboard 
Air  Line  Railway,  is  as  follows :  Brandon,  74  feet ;  Knights, 
117  feet;  Turkey  Creek,  87  feet.  The  elevation  of  points  in  this 
county,  along  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  Railroad,  is  as  follows : 
Hillsboro,  35  feet;  Seffner,  74  feet,  and  Thonotosassa,  49  feet 
above  sea.  The  Hillsboro  and  Alafia  Rivers  flow  across  this 
county  and  enter  Hillsboro  Bay. 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

While  no  complete  set  of  well  drillings  has  been  obtained, 
there  is  little  doubt  but  that  the  deep  wells  of  this  county  termi- 
nate in  the  Vicksburg  Limestone.  The  surface  exposures  along 
Tampa  Bay  and  along  the  Hillsboro  River,  for  some  miles  above 
Tampa,  are  of  the  Tampa  Limestone,  Upper  Oligocene,  which 
overlies  the  Vicksburg  formation  or  Lower  Oligocene.  A  full 
description  of  the  exposures  of  the  Tampa  formation  in  this 
county,  by  George  C.  Matson  and  F.  G.  Clapp,  will  be  found  in 
the  Second  Annual  Report  of  this  Survey,  pages  84  to  91,  1909. 

AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW. 

Flowing  artesian  wells  are,  probably,  to  be  obtained  entirely 
around  Hillsboro  and  Tampa  Bays.  The  head  is  sufficient  to 
bring  the  water  about  ten  to  fifteen  feet  above  sea  level,  and  the 
wells  will  usually  flow  where  the  rise  above  sea  does  not  exceed 
this  elevation.  The  accompanying  map  shows  the  area  in  this 
county  in  which  flowing  wells  can  be  obtained. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        259 
LOCAL  DETAILS. 

PLANT  CITY. 

The  public  water  supply  at  Plant  City  is  taken  from  a  well 
340  feet  deep.  This  well  is  cased  260  feet,  and  the  water  stands 
33  feet  from  the  surface. 


Sand  Key 


Fig.  13. — Map  showing  the  flowing  area  in  Hillsboro  and  DeSoto 
Counties.  The  area  in  which  flowing  wells  have  been  obtained  is  indicated 
by  shading. 

The  Plant  City  Ice  and  Power  Company  have  a  well  about 
600  feet  deep.  The  water  in  this  well  stands  20  feet  from  the 
surface. 

The  following  is  a  log  of  the  well  of  the  Warnell  Lumber 
and  Veneer  Company,  as  kept  by  the  drillers,  the  Hughes 
Specialty  Well  Drilling  Company.  The  well  is  266y2  feet  deep 
and  is  cased  with  eight-inch  casing  to  a  depth  of  105  feet.  The 
water  in  this  well  stands  45  feet  from  the  surface. 


260  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Feet. 

Sand  and  clay  1-20 

Sand  and  dark  colored  marl 20-40 

Marl  and  medium  hard  rock 40-100 

Light  colored  hard  rock 100-105 

Medium  hard  rock  105-175 

Light  colored  hard  rock   .' 175-190 

Shell-bearing  medium  hard  rock 190-215 

Soft  shell-bearing  rock  215- 

TAMPA. 

The  water  supply  for  the  city  of  Tampa  is  obtained  from 
drilled  wells,  of  which  there  are  twenty-eight  at  present.  The 
wells  range  in  depth  from  about  200  to  325  feet.  Wells  at  a 
greater  depth,  as  a  rule,  reach  salty  water.  The  wells  are  mostly 
10  inches  in  diameter.  The  casing  extends  from  52  to  103  feet. 
The  elevation  above  sea  varies  from  8  to  15^  feet.  The  water 
in  these  wells  will  rise  15  to  17  feet  above  sea  level,  hence  most 
of  the  wells  flow  at  the  surface.  The  following  is  a  log  of  one 
of  the  wells  taken  from  the  Second  Annual  Report  of  this  Survey, 
page  89 :  . 

Feet. 

White  Pleistocene  sand   0-     2 

Tough  yellow  clay  with  no  sand,  residual  clay 2-12 

Soft  limestone,  which  disintegrates  readily,  "Tampa  lime- 
stone"          12-  26 

Chert,  "Tampa  silex  bed" 26-30 

Soft  limestone,  closely  resembling  that  at  12  to  26  feet 30-  36 

Tough,  plastic,  greenish  sandy  clay 36-77 

Base  of  the  Tampa  formation : 

Chert    77-79 

White  marl    79.  c5 

Soft  limestone   85-  90 

Very  light  colored  hard  rock  90-105 

Very  hard  dark  yellow  limestone 105-111 

Gray,  porous  limestone  with  some  water 111-126 

Cherty  beds    126-140 

Darker  limestone. 

Gray  plastic  clay. 

Hard  yellow  rock  with  chert. 

Gray,  porous  rock,  water-bearing. 

Like  preceding. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        261 

The  following  is  a  log  of  the  well,  located  at  the  southwest 
corner,  Lot  2,  Block  10,  Bouquardez  Sub-Division,  233  feet  deep : 

Feet. 

Sand    0-    8 

Clay 8-12 

Hard  gray  rock  12-  36 

Soft  gray  rock    36-  48 

Very  hard  dark  flint 48-  53 

Blue  clay  53-103 

Gray  rock  with  hard  streaks 103-124 

Dark,  hard  flint  124-129 

White  lime  rock  129-160 

White  clay    160-164 

Brownish   gray  rock 164-180 

Lime  rock   180-233 

The  following  is  a  log  of  a  well  at  Ybor  City.  Northwest 
quarter,  Section  17,  Township  29,  Range  19,  355  feet  deep.  Well 
now  abandoned. 

Feet 

Sand    0    -  19.4 

Gray  rock    19.4-  37.6 

Tough  gray  clay  37.6-  41.6 

Tough  gray  clay  with  streaks  of  rock 41.6-  48.2 

Gray,  hard,  flinty  rock 48.2-  95 

Yellow  sand  rock  with  a  little  water 95    -  97 

Gray  rock,  coarse  with  dark  green  streaks 97    -109.4 

Yellow  shell  rock  109.4-110.4 

Gray  hard  rock  110.4-C23 

White  sticky  clay  223    -228 

Gray  hard  rock  228   -240.5 

Soft  gray  rock,  not  porous  240.5-315  5 

Soft  gray  rock  315.5-353.5 

Four  wells  at  West  Tampa,  drilled  by  W.  F.  Hamilton, 
formerly  used  for  the  public  supply,  are  now  used  for  the  manu- 
facture of  ice.  These  wells  vary  in  depth  from  360  to  760  feet. 
One  of  these  is  a  six-inch  well,  360  feet  deep,  cased  135  feet. 
Another  is  a  six-inch  well,  390  feet  deep,  cased  93  feet.  A  third 
well  is  406  feet  deep  and  is  cased  90  feet.  The  fourth  well  was 
drilled  at  a  depth  of  760  feet  and  was  cased  412  feet.  The  water 


262 


FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


from  this  depth  was  salty  and  the  well  was  subsequently  filled  to 
about  400  feet.  The  casing  was  broken  and  fresh  water  admitted 
at  this  depth.  The  water  in  the  wells  at  this  locality  is  reported 
to  stand  at  about  seven  feet  from  the  surface. 


Fig  14. — Map  showing  of  artesian  flow  in  Polk  County.  The  area  in 
which  flowing  wells  have  been  obtained  is  indicated  by  shading. 

POLK  COUNTY. 
LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

Polk  County  includes  a  land  area  of  1,967  square  miles.  The 
Lake  Region  crosses  the  central  part  of  this  county,  and  the 
principal  pebble  phosphate  deposits  of  the  State  are  found  in  the 
western  part  of  the  county.  The  following  elevations  are 
recorded  along  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  Railroad,  which  crosses 
the  county  from  east  to  west  and  from  north  to  south :  Auburn- 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        263 

dale,  167  feet;  Bartow,  115  feet;  Baftow  Junction,  165  feet;  Ft. 
Meade,  130  feet;  Haines  City,  157  feet;  Homeland,  139  feet; 
Lakeland,  206  feet. 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

The  deep  wells  of  this  county  reach  the  Vicksburg  Limestone. 
Some  of  the  more  shallow  wells,  especially  in  the  Lake  Region, 
receive  their  water  supply  from  formations  lying  above  the  Vicks- 
burg. 

ARTESIAN  WELLS. 

Artesian  wells  are  obtained  throughout  this  county.  As  a 
rule,  however,  the  surface  elevation  is  such  that  the  wells  do  not 
flow  at  the  surface.  Some  of  the  deep  wells,  in  the  vicinity  of 
Mulberry,  flowed  when  first  drilled,  but  subsequently  ceased  to 
flow,  owing  to  the  heavy  pumping  from  surrounding  wells.  Flow- 
ing wells  may  be  obtained  in  the  valley  of  Peace  River  and  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  county,  in  the  valley  of  the  Kissimmee  River. 
In  no  part  of  the  world,  perhaps,  is  water  from  deep  wells  more 
extensively  used  than  in  the  pebble  phosphate  mining  section  of 
Polk  County.  The  wells  in  this  section  range  in  depth  from  500 
to  800  feet.  The  water  rises  in  the  boring  to  within  20  to  40  feet 
of  the  surface,  depending  upon  the  elevation.  Pumping  is  chiefly 
by  air  lift. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 

BARTOW. 

The  city  water  supply,  at  Bartow,  is  taken  from  a  six-inch 
well,  720  feet  deep.  The  well  is  reported  cased  to  the  bottom. 
The  water  stands  24  feet  from  the  surface.  Pumping  from  this 
well  is  direct,  the  pump  being  lowered  in  pit  to  about  six  feet 
of  the  water  level. 

CARTERS. 

Flowing  wells  have  been  obtained  at  Carters.  These  flowing 
wells  average  in  depth  about  50  feet,  and  will  flow  a  few  feet 
above  the  surface. 


264  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

LAKELAND. 

The  public  water  supply  of  Lakeland  is  taken  from  a  six- 
inch  well,  489  feet  deep,  drilled  by  C.  E.  Reed  in  1904.  The 
well  is  cased  about  350  feet,  and  the  water  stands  79  feet  from 
the  surface.  The  well  of  the  Lakeland  Refrigerator  and  Ice 
Company  is  reported  to  be  336  feet  deep.  The  water  in  this  well 
stands  about  100  feet  from  the  surface. 

MULBERRY. 

The  city  water  supply  at  Mulberry  is  taken  from  an  eight-inch 
well,  385  feet  deep.  The  water  stands  in  this  well  21  feet  from 
the  surface.  The  many  wells  in  this  locality,  used  as  a  source  of 
water  supply  in  phosphate  mining,  range  in  depth,  as  previously 
stated,  from  500  to  800  feet.  In  size  they  vary  from  eight  to 
fourteen  inches.  The  water  stands  twenty  to  forty  feet  from  the 
surface. 

OSCEOLA  COUNTY. 

LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

Osceola  County  includes  an  area  of  1827  square  miles. 
Kissimmee  River  and  the  chain  of  lakes  from  which  it  takes  its 
origin  forms  most  of  the  western  boundary  of  this  county.  The 
surface  elevation  of  Kissimmee,  at  the  head  of  Lake  Tohopekaliga, 
according  to  levels  made  by  the  Atlantic  Coast  Line  Railroad,  is 
63  feet  above  sea.  Campbell,  a  few  miles  west  of  this  lake,  is 
75  feet  above  sea.  St.  Cloud,  on  East  Lake  Tohopekaliga,  is 
63  feet  above  sea.  Narcoossee,  also  on  East  Lake  Tohopekaliga, 
is  72  feet  above  sea. 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

Pleistocene  shell  deposits  are  found  in  the  valley  of  the 
Kissimmee  River,  this  formation  having  been  recognized  at  a 
depth  of  100  feet  in  the  well  of  Captain  H.  Clay  Johnson,  at  Kis- 
simmee. The  formations  beneath  the  Pleistocene  have  not  been 
determined  from  well  samples,  but  it  is  probable  that  the  deep 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        265 

'?/ 


Fig.  15. — Map  showing  the  area  of  artesian  flow  in  Osceola  County. 
The  area  in  which  flowing  artesian  wells  have  been  obtained  is  indicated 
by  shading. 


266 


FLORIDA  STATK  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


wells  in  this  county  reach  and  obtain  their  chief  supply  from  the 
Vicksburg  Limestone. 

AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW. 

Flowing  artesian  wells  are  obtained  in  this  county  in  the 
valley  of  the  Kissimmee  River.  It  is  probable,  also,  that  flowing 
artesian  wells  can  be  obtained  in  the  extreme  northeastern  part 


Fig.  16. — Map  showing  the  area  of  artesian  flow  in  Manatee  County. 
The  area  in  which  flowing  artesian  wells  have  been  obtained  is  indicated 
by  shading. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        267 

of  the  county,  near  the  St.  Johns  River.  The  artesian  pressure 
in  the  wells  in  the  Kissimmee  River  valley  is  sufficient  to  bring 
the  water  from  3  to  7  feet  above  the  surface.  These  flowing  wells 
vary  in  depth  from  less  than  100  to  500  and  600  feet. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 
KISSIMMEE. 

Numerous  artesian  wells  have  been  drilled  in  and  near  Kis- 
simmee. These  vary  in  depth  from  less  than  One  hundred  to 
several  hundred  feet.  The  height  to  which  the  water  will  rise 
above  the  surface  varies  from  one  to  three  or  four  feet.  The 
well  of  the  Kissimmee  Ice  Factory  is  reported  to  be  309  feet 
deep.  The  water  in  this  well  will  rise  four  feet  above  the  surface. 
The  well  of  H.  W.  Thurman,  at  the  Granada  Hotel,  is  341  feet 
deep  and  flows  at  the  surface,  supplying  water  for  a  bathing  pool 
and  other  domestic  purposes.  The  well  of  F.  Vans  Agnew,  two 
miles  southeast  of  Kissimmee,  used  for  domestic  and  irrigation 
purposes,  is  300  feet  deep  and  yields  a  strong  flow  of  water  at 
the  surface.  Many  other  wells  have  been  drilled  for  stock, 
irrigation  and  domestic  purposes  in  the  Kissimmee  River  valley, 
and  the  number  is  being  rapidly  increased. 

NARCOOSSEE. 

Several  wells  have  been  drilled  at  Narcoossee.  These  vary  in 
depth  from  200  to  415  feet.  These  wells  are  non-flowing,  the 
elevation  here  being  somewhat  greater  than  at  Kissimmee. 

MANATEE  COUNTY. 
LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

Manatee  County  lies,  bordering  the  Gulf  Coast,  between 
Tampa  Bay  and  Charlotte  Harbor.  The  county  includes  an  area 
of  1,275  square  miles.  The  principal  streams  of  the  county  are 
the  Manatee  River,  which  flows  across  the  county  from  east  to 


268  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

west,  and  enters  Tampa  Bay  and  the  Myakka  River,  which  flows 
to  the  south  and  enters  Charlotte  Harbor.  It  is  probable  that  the 
northeastern  part  of  the  county,  near  the  headwaters  of  these 
streams,  reaches  an  elevation  of  100  feet  above  sea.  From  this 
part  of  the  county  the  elevation  falls  off  gradually  toward  the 
coast. 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

The  deep  wells  of  Manatee  County  are  believed  to  enter  the 
Vicksburg  Limestone.  The  more  shallow  wells  terminate  in  the 
sands  and  clays  before  reaching  this  formation. 

AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW. 

Flowing  artesian  wells  are  obtained  in  Manatee  County,  along 
the  coast  and,  for  some  distance  inland,  along  the  Manatee  and  the 
Myakka  Rivers  and  other  streams.  The  flowing  artesian  wells 
along  the  Manatee  River,  where  a  great  many  have  been  drilled, 
vary  in  depth  from  200  to  600  feet.  At  Sarasota,  on  Sarasota. 
Bay,  flowing  water  is  obtained  at  360  feet. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 

BRADENTOWN. 

The  city  water  supply  at  Bradentown  is  obtained  from 
artesian  wells,  which  vary  in  depth  from  410  to  528  feet.  The 
water  from  these  wells  will  rise  about  thirteen  feet  above  the 
surface,  equivalent  to  a  head  of  about  twenty-nine  feet  above  sea 
level.  Numerous  other  wells  have  been  drilled  in  and  near 
Bradentown,  which  vary  in  depth  from  200  to  600  feet. 

MANATEE. 

Numerous  artesian  wells  have  been  drilled  in  and  around 
Manatee  for  household  use,  irrigation  and  other  purposes.  The 
well  of  the  Excelsior  Ice  Company,  at  this  locality,  is  540  feet 
deep,  although  a  first  flow  was  obtained  at  a  depth  of  360  feet. 
Mr.  C.  H.  Davis  has  a  four-and-one-half-inch  well,  510  feet  deep,. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        269 

cased  150  feet.  This  well,  when  measured  May  21,  1910,  showed 
a  pressure  of  eight  pounds  at  the  surface,  which  is  equivalent  to 
a  head  of  eighteen  and  one-half  feet  above  the  surface.  Another 
well  at  this  locality,  having-  a  depth  of  529  feet,  cased  260  feet, 
owned  by  Mr.  Tallant,  was  found,  on  the  same  date,  to  have  a 
pressure  of  seven  and  one-half  pounds,  or  a  head  above  the 
surface  of  seventeen  and  three-tenths  feet.  The  relative  eleva- 
tion of  these  two  wells  was  not  determined,  but  the  surface  eleva- 
tion at  the  Tallant  well  is  estimated  at  about  six  feet  above  sea. 

PALMETTO. 

The  city  water  supply  at  Palmetto  is  taken  from  artesian 
wells.  In  addition  to  the  city  supply,  several  artesian  wells  have 
been  drilled  at  this  locality.  These  vary  in  depth  from  370  to  600 
feet.  The  water  is  reported  to  rise  20  to  25  feet  above  the  surface. 

SARASOTA. 

The  well  from  which  the  public  water  supply  is  taken  at 
Sarasota  is  reported  to  have  a  depth  of  450  feet.  The  water 
rises  about  twenty  feet  above  the  surface.  Other  wells  drilled  at 
this  locality  vary  in  depth  from  360  to  400  feet.  A  flowing  well, 
drilled  on  Sarasota  Key,  is  reported  to  be  252  feet  deep.  The 
water  from  this  well  rises  15  feet  above  the  surface. 

DESOTO  COUNTY. 
LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

DeSoto  County  has  an  area  of  3,755  square  miles,  and  extends 
from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  Lake  Okeechobee  and  the  Kissimmee 
River.  The  Lake  Region  extends  into  the  north  central  part  of 
this  county.  It  is  probable  that  local  areas  are  found  in  the  Lake 
Region  of  this  county  which  exceed  150  feet  in  elevation.  From 
these  high  lands  the  slope  is  gradual  to  the  Gulf  and  to  Lake 
Okeechobee  and  to  the  Kissimmee  and  the  Caloosahatchee 
Rivers.  The  following  elevations  are  recorded  along  the  Atlantic 


270  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Coast  Line  Railroad,  which  crosses  the  county  from  north  to 
south:  Arcadia,  56  feet;  Bowling  Green,  116  feet;  Ft.  Ogden, 
37  feet :  Nocatee,  38  feet ;  Wauchula,  107  feet ;  Zolfo  Springs,  61 
feet. 

WATER-BEARING   FORMATIONS. 

As    elsewhere    in    Southern    Florida,    the    deep    wells    obtain 
their  water  supply  from  limestones  of  the  Vicksburg  formation. 


AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW. 

DeSoto  County  includes  a  considerable  area,  in  which  flowing 
artesian  wells  can  be  obtained.  This  flowing  area  surrounds 
Charlotte  Harbor  and  in  the  valley  of  the  Peace  River  extends 
entirely  across  the  county.  Flowing  wells  are  also  obtained  along 
the  Caloosahatchee  River  to  Lake  Okeechobee.  It  is  also  believed 
that  flowing  artesian  wells  may  be  expected  along  the  west  border 
of  Lake  Okeechobee  and  in  the  valley  of  the  Kissimmee  River, 


Fig.  17. — Map  showing  the  area  of  artesian  flow  in  DeSoto  County. 
The  area  in  which  flowing  artesian  wells  have  been  obtained  is  indicated 
by  shading.  • 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        271 

along  the  east  border  of  this  county.  The  deep  wells  at  Punta 
Gorda  show  a  pressure  of  20  pounds  or  more,  indicating  a  head 
of  45  to  50  feet  above  sea.  In  the  interior  of  the  county,  where 
the  elevation  is  greater,  the  rise  of  the  artesian  water  above  the 
surface  is  correspondingly  less.  The  accompanying  map  shows 
approximately  the  area  of  artesian  flow  in  the  county.  It  is  prob- 
able that  flowing  wells  can  be  obtained  over  a  somewhat  larger 
area  than  is  here  indicated.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  no  topographic 
map  has  been  made  of  this  county,  and  comparatively  few  wells 
have  been  drilled,  it  is  impossible  to  closely  outline  the  flowing 
area. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 


The  city  water  supply  at  Arcadia  is  taken  from  an  eight-inch 
well,  375  feet  deep.  The  elevation  at  Arcadia  is  given  by  the 
Atlantic  Coast  Line  Railroad  as  56  feet  above  sea,  and  the  water 
in  the  city  well  is  reported  to  rise  to  within  one  foot  of  the  surface. 
A  number  of  other  wells  are  reported  from  the  vicinity  of  Arcadia 
ranging  in  depth  from  215  to  380  feet.  The  water  from  these 
wells  rises  to  within  one  to  seven  feet  of  the  surface.  In  the 
valley  of  the  Peace  River,  near  Arcadia,  flowing  wells  are 
obtained,  the  water  rising  from  seven  to  ten  feet  above  the  surface. 

FT.  OGDEN. 

The  surface  elevation  at  the  depot  at  Ft.  Ogden  is  given  as  37 
feet  above  sea.  A  well,  280  feet  deep,  located  one-half  mile  west 
of  Ft.  Ogden,  and  belonging  to  Carr  &  Williams,  flows  six  or 
more  feet  above  the  surface.  The  second  well,  289  feet  deep, 
belonging  to  Russell  &  Windsor,  is  said  to  flow  14  feet  above  sea. 

NOCATEE. 

Flowing  wells  are  obtained  at  Nocatee.  A  well  of  the  DeSoto 
Fruit  Company,  one-half  mile  east  of  Nocatee,  355  feet  deep, 
flows  eight  feet  above  the  surface.  The  well  of  ths  Nocatee  Fruit 


272  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Company,  a  few  miles  east  of  Nocatee,  300  feet  deep,  also  flows 
eight  feet  above  the  ground. 

PUNTA  GORDA. 

The  city  water  supply  at  Punta  Gorda  is  taken  from  a  six- 
inch  well,  484  feet  deep.  The  well  is  cased  240  feet.  The  water 
from  this  well  is  reported  to  rise  about  40  feet  above  the  surface. 
An  eight-inch  well,  owned  by  the  DeSoto  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany, is  430  feet  deep.  Water  from  this  well  is  reported  to  rise 
about  50  -feet  above  the  surface.  Numerous  other  artesian  wells 
have  been  drilled  in  and  near  Punta  Gorda,  varying  in  depth  from 
265  to  600  feet. 

PALM  BEACH  COUNTY. 

LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

Palm  Beach  County  extends  from  the  Atlantic  Ocean  to  Lake 
Okeechobee,  and  includes  an  area  of  2,809  square  miles.  The 
western  part  of  the  county  extends  into  the  Everglades  of  Florida. 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

Samples  obtained  by  N.  H.  Darton,  many  years  ago,  from  the 
well  of  C.  I.  Craigin,  at  Palm  Beach,  afford  practically  the  only 
information  available  regarding  the  deeper  formations  of  this 
county.  The  Vicksburg  Limestone  is  believed  to  have  been 
reached  in  this  well  between  915  and  1,000  feet.  The  material 
above  this  level  was  scarcely  determinable,  although  apparently 
the  Miocene  and,  presumably,  other  formations  are  represented. 
The  limestone,  lying  near  the  surface  in  the  eastern  part  of  this 
county,  is  of  Pleistocene  age,  and  is  known  as  the  Palm  Beach 
Limestone.* 

*Second  Annual  Report,  Florida  Geol.  Surv.,  p.  209,  1909. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        273 
AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW. 

Flowing  artesian  wells  have  been  obtained  in  Palm  Beach 
County,  along  the  coast  as  far  south  as  Palm  Beach.  The  depth 
to  the  Vicksburg  Limestone,  which  is  the  chief  water-bearing 
formation,  increases  in  passing  south  to  east,  owing  to  the  dip  of 
the  formation  in  that  direction.  The  Vicksburg  at  Palm  Beach 
is  reached,  as  previously  stated,  between  915  and  1,000  feet.  In 
the  northern  and  western  parts  of  the  county  this  formation  may 
be  expected  at  a  lesser  depth,  and  it  is  probable  that  flowing 
artesian  wells  may,  ultimately,  be  obtained  throughout  all  of  the 
northern  and  much  of  the  western  parts  of  Palm  Beach  County. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 
GOMEZ. 

A  well  drilled  at  Gomez  in  1900,  by  John  McAllister,  is 
reported  to  have  reached  a  depth  of  1,200  feet.  This  is  a  four- 
inch  well  and  is  cased  300  feet.  The  water,  which  is  slightly 
brackish,  is  reported  to  flow  20  feet  above  the  surface. 

KOBE   SOUND. 

A  well  near  Kobe  Sound,  belonging  to  T.  A.  Snider,  and  drilled 
in  1895  by  Near  &  Taylor,  reached  a  depth  of  1,100  feet.  This 
is  a  four-inch  well  and  the  water,  which  is  slightly  salty,  is 
reported  to  rise  12  feet  above  the  surface. 

PALM    BEACH. 

The  following  is  a  log  of  the  artesian  well  of  C.  I.  Cragin, 
two  and  one-fourth  miles  north  of  Palm  Beach.  The  well  is  1,212 
feet  deep,  four  inches  in  diameter  and  is  cased  846  feet.  The 
original  four-inch  casing  having  rusted  out,  is  now  replaced  by  a 
line  of  2^2-inch  casing.  At  the  depth  of  1,140  feet  the  four-inch 
bore  hole  was  reduced  to  three  inches,  making  the  well  three 
inches  in  diameter  from  the  depth  of  1,140  to  the  bottom  of  the 
well,  1,212  feet.  The  well  was  commenced  in  1889  and  finished 
in  1890  by  J.  A.  Durst,  driller: 


274 


FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


Feet  from 

surface. 

0  - 

5   ..! 

5  - 

7   ..' 

7   • 

8  ..: 

8   - 

se  ..: 

36   - 

57.2  ..' 

57.2  - 

58  ..: 

58   - 

76.10.  .1 

76.10- 

78  ..: 

78   - 

78.6  ..' 

78.6  - 

84   .. 

84   • 

96   ..( 

96   - 

96.6  .. 

96.6  - 

97   .  . 

97   - 

148   .. 

148   • 

151   .. 

151 

169.6  .. 

169.6  - 

170   .. 

170   - 

171   .. 

171   • 

171.3  .. 

171.3  - 

175   .. 

175   - 

185   .. 

185   • 

190   .. 

190   - 

238 

238      - 
238.6  - 


238.8   . 
248 


248 
250 


262 
263 


250 
262 


263 
300 


300      -  301.6 


301.6 
303.6 
310 


303.6 

310 

312.4 


Character  of  material. 

Surface  soil. 

Rock. 

First  sand. 

Mostly  line  coquina  rock. 

Quicksand  and  sharp  pieces  of  stone. 

First  really  hard  rock. 

Coquina,  alternating  with  sandy  strata. 

Hard  rock. 

Very  hard  flint. 

Sand,  white  and  solid,  but  not  hard.    , 

Quicksand  bed,  mixed  with  bits  of  coarser  mate  rial. 

Flint  rock,  thin. 

Fine  sand. 

Quicksand  bed. 

Solid  limestone. 

Soft  gray  limestone. 

Hard  rock. 

Shell  stratum. 
.Very  hard  sandstone. 
.  Sandstone. 

.Alternately  hard  and  soft  limestone. 
.Straw  colored  sandstone. 

.Drab  colored  solid  sandstone,  gradually  deepen- 
ing in  its  color  to  a  final  blue  at  230  feet,  with 
small  delicate  shells  throughout. 

.Bed  of  small  dainty  shells.  Water  level  is  3  feet 
4  inches  below  wooden  curb. 

.Very  hard  drilling,  required  to  move  casing  in 
these  alternations.  Water  level  above  20 
inches  (near  242  feet).  Very  active  quick- 
sand. 

.Took  out  loads  of  quicksand. 

.Sand.  Water  in  this  sand  ran  slowly  out  of  pipe 
at  3  feet  6  inches  above  ground. 

.Coquina. 

.Broken  shell  and  sand,  more  shell  (white  and 
pulverized),  the  last  few  feet.  Water  level 
just  above  ground  level. 

.Rock,  water  stands  2  feet  4  inches  above  curb  in 
this  stand. 

.Brown  clay,  first  seen  in  this  well. 

.Sand. 

.Blue  sandstone. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA. 


275 


312.4  -  312.10.. Blue  sand,  shells  and  pieces  of  rotten  sticks. 
312.10-  315.2  ..Blue  sandstone. 

315.2  -  320      . .  Sand,  water  in  this  sand  stands  3  feet  above  wood- 

en curb. 

320  -  321      ..Blue  sandstone. 

321  -  340      ..Fine  shell  and  sand,  coarser  broken  shell  toward 

bottom. 
340     -  340.3   ..Rock. 

340.3  -  350      . .  Coarse  broken  shell,  blue  pebbles   and  pieces  of 

coquina,  water  2  feet  above  curb,  runs  freely 

at  1  foot  above. 

350     -  357      ..Yellow  sandstone,  water  2  feet  above  curb. 
357      -  359      .  .Broken  shell,  pebbles,  pieces  of  coquina. 
359      -  373      . .  Pulverized  shell. 

373  -  374      . .  Gray  limestone,  with  some  broken  shell  lying  im- 

mediately beneath,  water  stands  2  feet  4  inches 
above  on  penetrating  this  rock. 

374  -  392      ..Pulverized  shell,  water  stands  at  level  of  wooden 

curb. 

392     -  400      ..Alternations  of  rock  and  blue  marl. 
400     -  409     ..Blue  marl. 
409     -  432      .  .Alternations  of  blue  marl  and  sand  which  afforded 

the  greatest  flow  to  date  and  the  first  fresh 

water  below  49  feet. 
432     -  507      ..Blue  marl. 
507      -  510      . .  Coquina. 

510     -  542      .  .  Proportion  of  sand  in  the  marl  increases  very  much. 
542     -  571      . .  Quicksand,  below  casing,  can  not  drill  at  all.  Pro- 
portion of  sand  in  the  marl  increases. 
571     -  614      ..Marly  sand.     Head  of  water   from  9  to   11   feet 

above  ground.     Water  rises  so  as  to  dribble 

from  a  height  of  11^  feet. 
614     -618      ..Quicksand  bed. 
618      -  618.6   .  .Rock. 
618.6  -  640      ..Sand  or  sandstone. 
640     -  707      ..Lighter  colored  and  runs  to  greenish  marly  sand 

all  through  here.    At  depth  678-688  more  sand, 

water    from   690-700,   very   many  tiny   spiral 

shells. 

707     -  710      ..Brown,  coarse  material. 
710     -  794.6  . .  Sand  with  enough  marl  with  it  to  give  a  green 

color  to  the  slush  as  ejected. 
794.6  -  809      ..Loose  sand  full  of  black  specks  and  tiny  bivalve 

and  spiral  shells. 


276 


FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


809     -826      ..Blue  marl  full  of  black  specks. 
826      -  828      . .  Sand. 
828      -  834      . .  Sandstone. 

•834     -  839      ..Very  fine,  tough  clay,  thoroughly  impervious. 
839     -  860      .  .Fine   grained    coquina,    get    dribble    of   water    at 
depth    of    about    844    feet    4    inches,    casing 
driven  to  depth  of  846  feet,  tight  in  rock. 
860      -  867      ..Solid  hard  limestone. 
867      -  874      ..Fine  clay,  devoid  of  grit. 
874      -  876      .  .Hard  rock. 
876      -  878      ..Lots  of  black  specks  here. 

878      -  902      ..Clays,  sandy  and  lots  of  black  specks,  no  water. 
902     -  905      ..Dark  sand  bed;  here  the  water  supply  is  115,000 

gallons  per  diem. 

905     -  917.6  ..Thin  block  of  stone  909  feet,  about.     This  is  the 
lowest  sand  bed  with  thin  block  of  limestone 
at    intervals.      Water    comes    from    between 
these  thin  flakes  of  limestone. 
917.6  -  917.9   ..Limestone. 
917.9  -  923      ..Coralline. 
923     -  961     ..Hard  limestone  rock  at  923,  solid  rock  nearly  39 

feet. 

961      -  973      ..Gritty  marl. 
973      -  990.6   ..Solid  rock. 

990.6  -1009      . .  Sandy  marl,  full  of  tiny  spirals. 
1009     -1012      ..Limestone. 
1012     -1023      ..Yellow  sandstone. 
1023      -1025      ..Hard  rock. 

1025  -1088  ..Rock,  first  of  the  regular  water  strata.  Alternat- 
ing hard  and  soft  strata.  Increase  of  water 
with  depth.  At  depth  of  1042  feet  270,000 
gallons,  1057  feet  300,000  gallons,  1075  feet 
350,000  gallons;  water  strata  found  at  fre- 
quent intervals. 

1088      -1110      ..Gray  limestone. 

1110     -1116      ..Gray    limestone    interspersed    with    water    strata, 
but  the  flow  increases  but  slightly.     At  1160 
feet  flow  total  400,000  gallons. 
1116     -1174      ..  Solid  gray  limestone. 

1174  -1175      ..Blue  limestone. 

1175  -1193      ..All  solid. 

1193     -1195.6  ..Blue  limestone  (?). 
1195.6  -1196      ..Six  inches  water  stratum. 

1196  -1212  ..Mostly  gray  limestone,  with  some  hard  and  some 
water  strata,  flow  increases  but  little. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        277 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well. 
Analysis  made  in  the  office  of  the  State  Chemist,  A.  M.  Henry, 
analyst. 

Colorless,  odorless,  slightly  salty  taste,  no  sediment. 

Milligrams  per  liter. 

Si02    17 

Cl    1337 

SO4    431 

P04    3 

CO3    o 

HCO3    195 

Na  and  K   835 

Mg   112 

Ca    102 

Fe  and  Al  2 

Loss  on  ignition  357 


Total  dissolved  solids  3000 

WEST  JUPITER. 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  Weybrecht's 
well,  at  West  Jupiter,  57  feet  deep.  Analysis  by  the  American 
Water  Softener  Company,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  July  23,  1908. 


Total  solids   

Grains  per 
U.  S.  gallon. 
62.50 

Parts  per 
million. 
1071.49 

Calcium    carbonate 

15  75 

270.01 

Calcium  sulphate 

3  13 

5356 

Calcium   chloride    ,  . 

2.47 

42.34 

Magnesium  carbonate  
Sodium  chloride 

5.86 
...          30  40 

100.46 
521.17 

122 

29.48 

Iron   alumina  and  silica  

1.68 

28.80 

Incrusting   solids    

Non-incrustiner  solids    .  . 

28.89 
30.40 

495.28 
521.17 

YAMATO. 

The  following  is  a  log  of  a  well  at  Yamato,  drilled  by  the 
Florida  East  Coast  Railway.  The  well  is  cased  65  feet  and  the 
water  stands  nine  feet  below  the  surface. 


278  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Feet. 

Sand  0     -24 

Yellow  clay 24     -34 

Sand  and  shell 34    -40 

Rock    40     -41 

Gravel    41     -45 

Rock    45     -46J4 

Gravel  and  rock   46J4-61^ 

Quicksand    61*4-65 

Rock    65     -67 

Sand  67     -74 

Rock    75     -88 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well  made 
by  the  American  Water  Softener  Company,  Philadelphia,  Pa.. 
November  3,  1909 : 

Grains  per  Parts  per 

U.  S.  gallon,  million. 

Calcium  carbonate   7.22  123.77 

Calcium  sulphate 0.54  9.25 

Calcium  chloride    0.78  13.38 

Magnesium  carbonate  0.73  12.51 

Sodium  chloride   0.81  13.78 

Free  carbonic  acid  0.56  9.60 

Iron,  alumina  and  silica  0.23  3.94 

Incrusting  solids  9.50  162.87 

Non-incrusting  solids    0.81  13.78 

LEE  COUNTY. 
LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

Lee  County  lies  bordering  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and  extends 
inland  to  Lake  Okeechobee.  The  area  of  the  county  is  4,641 
square  miles.  The  surface  elevation  in  the  northeastern  part  of 
the  county  approximates  25  feet  above  sea  level.  No  topographic 
map  has  been  made  of  the  county,  but  the  surface  is  prevailingly 
level  with,  in  general,  a  slope  toward  the  coast. 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

The  artesian  wells  in  this  county  are  believed  to  obtain  their 
chief  supply  from  the  Vicksburg  formation. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        279 
AREA  OF  ARTESIAN  FLOW. 

Flowing  wells  have  been  obtained  over  an  extensive  area 
throughout  the  interior  of  Lee  County,  as  well  as  along  the 
Caloosahatchee  River,  along  the  northern  border  of  the  county. 
It  is  believed  that  almost  the  whole  of  this  county  may  be  included 
in  the  artesian  flow  area. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 

BOCA  GRANDE. 

Three  deep  wells  have  been  drilled  at  Boca  Grande,  on 
Gasparilla  Island.  The  first  of  these,  drilled  in  1910,  is  located 
200  feet  north  of  Boca  Grande  station,  and  was  drilled  by  G.  H. 
Southard.  This  well  is  1,030  feet. deep  and  is  reported  cased  800 
feet.  The  well  yields  a  heavy  flow  of  salty  water.  The  second 
deep  well  at  this  locality,  drilled  in  1911  by  F.  S.  Gilbert,  is 
located  600  feet  south  of  Boca  Grande  station.  This  well  is  1,220 
feet  deep  and  yields  a  flow  of  450  gallons  per  minute  of  salty 
water.  The  temperature  of  the  water  at  1,220  feet  was  89  degrees 
Fahrenheit.  The  driller,  F.  S.  Gilbert,  reports  that  he  cased 
twenty-two  times  in  drilling  this  well,  the  casing  being  driven  and 
pulled  at  each  show  of  water  in  order  to  test  for  fresh  water.  The 
well,  as  completed,  was  cased  with  six-inch  casing  to  a  depth  of 
1,200  feet.  The  third  well,  also  drilled  by  F.  S.  Gilbert,  is  located 
2.700  feet  north  of  the  station.  This  well  is  1,812  feet  deep  and 
is  cased  1,500  feet.  The  water  is  salty.  The  temperature  was  90 
degrees  Fahrenheit  at  1,800  feet.  The  flow  from  these  wells  rises 
about  fifteen  feet  above  sea  level.  These  wells  enter  the  Vicksburg 
Limestone,  and  the  deepest  of  the  wells  apparently  does  not  pass 
through  the  Vicksburg  Limestone. 

FT.  MYERS. 

The  public  water  supply  at  Ft.  Myers  is  taken  from  drilled 
wells,  of  which  three  are  in  use  at  present.  Three  additional  wells 
are  available  as  a  reserve  supply.  These  latter  vary  in  depth  from 


280  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

487  to  587  feet.  The  water  from  these  wells  will  rise  about  45 
feet  above  the  surface.  A  well  near  Ft.  Myers,  belonging  to 
Thomas  A.  Edison,  reaches  a  depth  of  648  feet.  The  water  from 
this  well  will  rise  about  45  feet  above  the  surface.  Many  addi- 
tional wells  have  been  drilled  in  and  around  Ft.  Myers ;  these  vary 
in  depth  from  400  to  960  feet.  The  water  from  these  deep  wells 
rises  40  to  50  feet  above  the  surface. 


Flowing  wells  are  obtained  at  Labelle  and  elsewhere,  along 
the  Caloosahatchee  River.  D.  G.  McCormick  &  Company  have  a 
flowing  well,  about  a  mile  north  of  the  east  end  of  Lake  Flirt  (T. 
42,  R.  30,  S.  19).  This  is  a  three-inch  well,  490  feet  deep.  The 
well  is  cased  450  feet  and  the  water  is  reported  to  rise  40  feet 
above  the  surface.  The  strong  flow  reported  for  this  well  indicates 
that  flowing  wells  may  be  expected  over  a  considerable  area,  north 
of  the  Caloosahatchee  River  and  west  of  Lake  Okeechobee. 

THE  KEYS. 

A  number  of  wells  have  been  drilled  on  the  keys  in  Lee 
County.  Those  at  Boca  Grande,  on  Gasparilla  Island,  have 
already  been  described.  Two  wells  are  reported  to  have  been 
drilled  on  Sanibel  Island.  One  of  these  belonging  to  F.  P.  Bailey, 
reached  a  depth  of  500  or  600  feet.  The  second  well,  belonging 
to  Harry  Bailey,  is  500  feet  deep.  The  water  from  both  of  these 
wells  is  said  to  be  brackish.  On  Useppa  Island  a  fresh  water 
well  was  obtained  by  W.  H.  Towles,  at  a  depth  of  250  to  300  feet. 
A  second  well  on  this  island,  reaching  a  depth  of  400  feet,  was 
said  to  have  been  somewhat  brackish. 

Two  wells  are  reported  from  St.  James  Island.  One  of  these 
is  184  feet  deep,  the  other  is  344  feet  deep.  Both  yield  fresh  water. 
A  well  on  Bucks  Key  reaches  a  depth  of  600  feet.  The  water  in 
this  well  is  reported  to  rise  20  feet  above  the  surface. 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        281 

DADE  COUNTY. 
LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

Bade  County  lies  in  Southern  Florida,  bordering  the  Atlantic 
Coast.  The  county  includes  an  area  of  2,305  square  miles.  The 
western  part  of  the  county  reaches  into  the  Everglades  of  Florida. 
East  of  the  Everglades  the  surface  formation  is  chiefly  the  Miami 
Oolitic  Limestone. 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

The  limestones  exposed  at  the  surface,  in  Dade  County,  are 
of  Pleistocene  age  and  it  is  probable  that  most  of  the  wells 
terminate  without  passing  through  these  Pleistocene  formations. 
The  deepest  well  recorded  in  Dade  County  is  a  well  drilled 
recently  at  Homestead  by  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway.  This 
well  reached  a  depth  of  300  feet,  but  the  age  of  the  formation  in 
which  it  terminated  was  not  determined. 

ARTESIAN  WELLS. 

The  water  in  the  wells  at  the  city  waterworks,  at  Miami, 
rises  to  within  fourteen  inches  of  the  surface  level  and  flows  into, 
the  collecting  basin  excavated  for  that  purpose.  The  possibility 
of  getting  flowing  artesian  water  from  the  Vicksburg  Limestone,, 
which  lies  at  a  depth  of  several  hundred  feet,  has  not  been  tested: 
by  deep  borings. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 

DANIA. 

A  well  has  been  drilled  at  Dania  by  the  Florida  East  Coast 
Railway,  to  a  depth  of  54  feet.  The  following  is  an  analysis  of 
the  water  from  this  well  made  by  the  American  Water  Softener 
Company,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  November  3,  1909 : 


282, 


FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


Grains  per  Parts  per 

U.  S.  gallon,  million. 

Total  solids    17.50  300.01 

Calcium  carbonate   13.70  234.87 

Magnesium  carbonate   .77  13.20 

Sodium  chloride   2.56  43.88 

Sodium  carbonate '  .07  1.20 

Free  carbonic  acid  1.56  26.74 

Iron,  alumina  and  silica .09  1.54 

Incrusting  solids   14.56  249.61 

Non-incrusting  solids 2.63  45.08 

An  analysis  of  the  second  sample  of  water  from  this  well, 
made  by  the  Dearborn  Drug  and  Chemical  Works,  Chicago,  111., 
July  2,  1910,  is  as  follows : 

Grains  per  Parts  per 

U.  S.  gallon,  million. 

Silica 327  5.506 

Oxide  of  iron  and  alumina .140  2.400 

Carbonate  of  lime   13.058  233.865 

Sulphate  of  lime None  None 

Carbonate  of  magnesia  .433  7.423 

Sodium  and  potassium  sulphates .212  3.634 

Sodium  and  potassium  chlorides 2.380  40.802 

Sodium  and  potassium  carbonates .369  6.326 

Loss,  etc .307  5.263 

Total  mineral  solids 17.286  296.350 

Organic  matter   Trace  Trace 

Total  incrusting  solids   13.958  239.294 

Total  non-incrusting  solids    3.328  57.054 

The  following  is  a  log  of  the  well  at  Dania,  obtained  through 
the  courtesy  of  Air.  G.  A.  Miller  of  the  Florida  East  Coast  Rail- 
way: 

Feet. 

Sand  0-6 

Hard  pan  6_  8 

Shell  and  rock  8_2Q 

White  rock  20-24 

Shell,  coarse  sand  and  water 24-31 

Rock    !  31-35 

Sand  and  shell    35-40 

Rock 40-42 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA. 


283 


Sand  and  shell 

Gravel     

Hard   rock    . 


42-52 
52-54 


HOMESTEAD. 

An  experimental  well  was  drilled  at  Homestead  by  the  Florida 
East  Coast  Railway  to  a  depth  of  320  feet.  The  following  is  the 
analysis  of  the  water  from  this  well,  at  the  depth  of  16,  46,  66  and 
320  feet.  Analyses  by  the  American  Water  Softener  Company, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

No.  1,  sample  of  water  from  the  depth  of  16  feet: 

Grains  per       Parts  per 
U.  S.  gallon,     million. 

Total  solids    13.60  233.15 

Calcium    carbonate    9.85  168.85 

Calcium   sulphate    0.22  3.77 

Calcium  chloride    1.42  24.34 

Calcium    nitrate    0.48  8.22 

Magnesium  carbonate   0.91  15.59 

Iron,  alumina  and  silica  0.90  15.42 

Incrusting   solids    13.52  221.77 

No.  2,  sample  of  water  from  the  depth  of  45  feet.  May  25, 
1911: 

Grains  per  Parts  per 

U.  S.  gallon,  million. 

Total   solids    13.50  185.24 

Calcium  carbonate   10.14  173.83 

Calcium   sulphate    0.22  3.77 

Calcium   chloride    1.32  22.62 

Magnesium  carbonate   0.45  7.71 

Sodium  chloride   0.66  11.31 

Free  carbon  dioxide   0.90  15.42 

Iron,  alumina  and  silica  0.19  3.25 

Incrusting  solids   12.32  211.21 

Non-incrusting  solids    0.66  11.31 


284 


FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 


No.  3,  sample  of  water  from  depth  of  66  feet.    June  29,  1911 

Grains  per       Parts  per 


U.  S.  gallon. 

million. 

Total  solids    

14.00 

240.01 

Calcium  carbonate  

10.80 

185.15 

Calcium  sulphate    .... 

0.39 

6.68 

Calcium   chloride    

0.77 

13.20 

Calcium  nitrate   

0.39 

6.68 

Magnesium  carbonate   . 

0.39 

6.68 

Free  carbon  dioxide  .... 

0.53 

9.08 

Iron,  alumina  and  silica  . 

0.89 

15.25 

Incrusting   solids    

13.63 

233.67 

No.  4,  sample  of  water 

from  the  depth  of  320  feet. 

August  4, 

1011: 

Grains  per 

Parts  per 

U.  S.  gallon. 

million. 

Total  solids   

57.40 

984.05 

Calcium  carbonate   

5.08 

87.09 

Magnesium    carbonate    .  . 

3.34 

57.26 

Sodium  carbonate  

14.35 

246.01 

Sodium  sulphate  

15.76 

270.18 

Sodium  chloride   

15.76 

270.18 

Free  carbon  dioxide   

0.26 

4.45 

Iron,  alumina  and  silica  .  , 

0.25    ' 

4.28 

Incrusting   solids    

8.76 

150.18 

Non-incrusting  solids 

"45.87 

786.39 

The  water  at  the  depth  of  320  feet  being  unsuited  for  boiler 
use,  the  well  was  plugged  and  a  more  shallow  water  is  being  used. 

The  following  is  a  log  of  this  well,  supplied  by  Mr.  G.  A. 
Miller,  of  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway : 


Soft  rock  . 
Hard  rock 
Medium  ha 
Hard  rock 
Medium  ha 
Hard  rock 


Feet. 


rd  rock  

30-40 

rd  rock  

50     -  55^ 

WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        285 

Sand    58^-  59 

Soft  rock  with  sand  pockets 59  -  62 

Loose  rock  and  sand  62  -  66 

Sand 66  -81 

Loose  sand  and  rock  81  -  84 

Marl  84  -  84% 

Sand    84J4-  92 

Marl  and  shell 92  -115 

Gray  clay  with  small  amount  of  fine  sand 115  -160 

Clay  and  marl 160  -167 

Marl  containing  a  small  quantity  sand  and  shell.     Sand 

increasing  with  depth 167  -197 

Marl  or  soft  chalky  rock 197  -204 

Tough  slate  colored  clay 204  -217 

Marl  containing  sand,  shell  and  gravel 217  -232 

Marl  or  so'ft  chalk-like  rock 232  -237 

Marl  and  sand  237  -240 

Slate  colored  clay  240  -268 

.  Clay  268  -294 

Marl  and  clay   294  -298 

MIAMI. 

The  public  water  supply  at  Miami  is  taken  from  seven  wells, 
located  on  the  north  side  of  Miami  River,  about  one  and  one-half 
miles  west  of  the  city.  The  principal  supply  of  fresh  water  in 
these  wells  is  obtained  at  a  depth  of  about  85  feet,  although  some 
water  is  reported  at  30  and  at  80  feet.  The  water  rises  to  within 
14  inches  of  the  surface  and  flows  into  a  receiving  basin.  At  90 
feet,  in  well  number  7,  recently  drilled,  salt  water  was  reached. 
This  well  was  plugged  and  fresh  water  admitted  from  above. 
The  following  notes  were  made  from  occasional  samples  from 
one  of  these  wells.  The  samples  were  kept  by  the  Florida  East 
Coast  Hotel  Company : 


286  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Depth  from  which 
sample  was  obtained. 
Feet. 

Oolitic  limestone   0-  3 

Non-oolitic  granular  rock,  including  some  clear  grains  of 

silica 24-28 

Limestone,    fossils,   mostly   dissolved   out   and    replaced   by 

calcite  crystals   28-32 

Limestone,  compact  and  partly  crystallized 64-66 

Hard  limestone  with  few  fossils 66-76 

Limestone,   fossils,   mostly   dissolved  out,   leaving  cavities; 

also  a  number  of  rounded  or  flattened  pebbles 76-88 

Hard  limestone,  including  some  water-worn  pebbles 88-99 

The  following  is  an  analysis  of  the  water  from  the  Miami 

wells.     Analysis   by   the   American   Water    Softener  Company, 
Philadelphia,  Pa.: 

Grains  per  Parts  per 

U.  S.  gallon,  million. 

Total  solids 17.50  300.01 

Calcium  carbonate  12.68  217.38 

Calcium  sulphate 0.21  3.60 

Calcium  chloride    0.83  14.22 

Magnesium  carbonate   0.59  10.11 

Sodium  chloride   2.20  37.71 

Free  carbon  dioxide   0.60  10.28 

Iron,  alumina  and  silica 0.18  3.08 

Incrusting  solids  14.99  156.98 

Non-incrusting  solids   2.20  37.71 

MONROE  COUNTY. 
LOCATION  AND  SURFACE  FEATURES. 

Monroe  County  lies  along  the  Gulf  Coast,  at  the  extreme 
southern  end  of  Florida.  The  area  of  the  land  surface,  including 
the  numerous  keys,  is  about  1,125  square  miles. 

WATER-BEARING  FORMATIONS. 

The  Key  Largo  Coralline  Limestone  and  the  Key  West  Oolitic 
Limestone  make  up  the  surface  formations  along  the  keys.  On  the 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        287 

mainland  the  Lostman's  River  Limestone  lies  near  the  surface. 
The  deep  wells  at  Key  West  reach  the  Vicksburg  Limestone. 

ARTESIAN  WELLS. 

No  flowing  artesian  wells  have  been  reported  from  Monroe 
County.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  flowing  wells  could  be 
obtained  in  the  northern  part  of  the  county  and  along  the  Gulf 
Coast.  Several  wells  have  been  drilled  on  the  keys,  along  the  line 
of  the  Florida  East  Coast  Railway.  None  of  these,  however,  have 
been  successful  in  obtaining  either  flowing  or  fresh  water. 

LOCAL  DETAILS. 

KEY  VACA. 

Two  deep  wells  have  been  drilled  by  the  Florida  East  Coast 
Railway  at  Marathon,  on  Key  Vaca.  One  of  these  wells  reached 
a  depth  of  425  feet,  the  other  700  feet.  The  following  is  a  com- 
bined record  of  these  two  wells  by  Samuel  Sanford,  who  was  in 
charge  of  the  drilling.  The  log  is  republished  from  the  Second 
Annual  Report  of  this  Survey,  page  205 : 

Feet. 

Reef  rock 0-105 

Hard  to  soft  white  limestone,  with  much  white  marl 105-148 

Soft  white  limestone  with  shell  casts 148-150 

Medium  hard  white  limestone,  shell  casts  and  shell  frag- 
ments    150-155 

Soft  white  limestone  with  quartz  grains,  proportion  of 
quartz  increasing  with  depth,  shell  fragments  and 

casts    155-176 

Medium  fine  quartz-sand  containing  numerous   irregular 

nodules,  with  yellowish  marly  sand  at  210  to  215  feet.   176-230 
Quartz  sand  in  a  varying  proportion  of  limy  mud,  sand 
grains,     colorless    mud,     yellowish     to     dark    green ; 
streaks  and  beds  of  friable  sandstone  containing  shell 

casts ;  bed  of  oyster  shells  at  240  feet 230-300 

Quartz  sands  or  beds  of  soft,  friable  sandstone,  contain- 
taining  shell  casts;  streaks  of  dark  green,  limy  clay, 
306-310  feet;  beds  of  shells,  few  determinable  fossils, 
probably  Miocene,  378-390  300-400 


288  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Quartz  sands  as  below  230  feet,  beds  of  soft  friable  sand- 
stone with  shell  casts;  gravel  bed  with  much  worn 
pebbles  up  to  40  mm.  long;  tough  green,  limy  clay  at 
407  to  410  feet 400-435 

Quartz  sands  with  little  sandstone,  tough,  dark  clay  in 

occasional  streaks  435-700 

KEY  WEST. 

Two  deep  wells  have  been  drilled  at  Key  West.  The  first  of 
these,  drilled  in  1895,  is  reported  to  have  reached  a  depth  of  2,000 
feet.  The  water  obtained  from  this  well  was  too  salty  for  drink- 
ing purposes,  but  is  used  for  fire  protection.  The  following  is  a 
log  of  this  well,  taken  from  the  Second  Annual  Report  of  this 
Survey,  page  206,  abbreviated  from  the  detailed  description  given 
by  E.  O.  Hovey,  of  samples  from  this  well : 

Feet. 

Yellowish  oolite    0-    25 

White  yellowish   or   light  gray   limestone,   with   oolitic 

lumps 50-  175 

Fine  white  lime-sand  rock 175-  200 

White,  porous  oolitic  and  sandy  limestone 200-  275 

White,  more  or  less  solid  limestone 300-  375 

Friable  soft  gray  lime-sand  rock 400-  675 

Yellowish  to  brownish  lime-sand  rock,  Orbitoides,  800 

to  850  feet  700-1075 

Light  gray,  partly  dense  and  partly  porous  limestone...   1100-1175 

Gray  lime-sand  rock 1200-1350 

Yellowish  gray  lime-sand  rock,  with  some  porous  lime- 
stone        1375-1450 

Lime-sand  rock,  varying  in  color  and  compactness,  with 

strata  of  dense  limestone   1475-1975 

Yellowish    to    light    brownish-gray    limestone,     rather 

solid,  with  porous  portions  : 1975-2000 

A  second  deep  well  was  drilled  at  this  locality  by  J.  T.  Brown 
for  S.  O.  Johnson.  This  well  is  1,010  feet  deep  and  reached  salty 
water.  Occasional  samples  of  the  drillings  from  this  well  to  a 
depth  of  540  feet  were  forwarded  to  the  Florida  State  Geological 
Survey.  Below  540  feet  only  one  sample  was  received,  which  was 
submitted  as  representing  the  material  from  800  to  1,010  feet. 
The  following  partial  log  is  made  up  from  these  occasional 
samples : 


WATER  SUPPLY  OF  EASTERN  AND  SOUTHERN  FLORIDA.        289 

Depth  from  which  the 

Character  of  rock.  sample  was  taken. 

Feet. 

Oolitic  limestone  with  shell  fragments.  In  color  the  oolitic 
grains  vary  from  light  to  pinkish.  The  sample  contains 
little  or  no  quartz  sand 30 

Soft  limestone  powdered  very  fine,  not  so  conspicuously 
oolitic  as  last  sample  50 

Oolite,  light  and  pinkish  oolite  grains 70 

Light  colored  oolitic  limestone  with  fragments  of  shells 80 

Oolitic  limestone  with  fragments  of  shell.     Oolite  grains  vary 

in  color,  from  light  to  pinkish  100 

From  100  to  210  feet  no  fine  material  was  brought  up  by  the 
drill.  A  salty  sulphur  water  was  reached  at  this  depth, 
and  the  fine  material  carried  away  apparently  in  the  water. 
The  coarse  pieces  brought  up  in  this  distance  were  as 
follows : 

Piece  of  coral  and  limestone,  consisting  of  fragments  of  shells 
and  other  organisms,  also  pieces  of  dark-colored  lime- 
stones    135 

Pieces  of  hard  crystallized  limestone  and  fragment  of  coral..   150 

Rough  white  limestone  pieces  with  shell  fragments,  also  pieces 
of  limestone  made  up  of  a  mass  of  shell  fragments ;  also 
colitic  limestone  175 

Oolitic  limestone  with  shells  and  shell  fragments,  also  rough 

white  limestone  and  partially  crystallized  limestone 200 

Rough  white  limestone  with  shell  fragments,  partially  crys- 
tallized    210 

Rough  white  limestone  with  shell  fragments 260 

Oolite  grains  light  and  pinkish  in  color;  also  pieces  of  rough 

limestone    270 

Mass  of  calcium  crystals,  stained  brownish  yellow 325 

Rough  light-colored  limestone  pieces  with  fragments  of  shells 

and  of  corals   340 

Rough  light-colored  limestone  pieces  with  fragments  of  shells, 
corals,  worm  tubes,  and  light  and  pinkish  oolite  with 
admixture  of  greenish-gray  calcarous  material 350 

Greenish-gray  calcareous  sand,  with  occasional  oolite  grains 

imbedded,  but  no  fossils  and  no  siliceous  sand 370 

Light-colored    limestone    with    fossils    and    pieces    of    typical 

oolite    ..  380 


290  FLORIDA  STATE  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY. 

Gray  calcareous  sand  with  slight  admixture  of  siliceous  sand..  390 
Same  gray  calcareous  sand  with  some  pieces  of  impure  light- 
colored  limestone  and  with  one  calcite  crystal 400 

bame  as  above,  gray  calcareous  sand,  with  some  light-colored 

limestone   jt 425 

Light,  rough  limestarf;  with  fossils  and  typical  oolite 450 

Gray  calcareous  sarra  and  light  limestone 475 

Same  gray  calcareous  sand  with  light-colored  limestone 515 

Same  gray  calcareous  sand  with  fine  siliceous  sand 530 

Same  as  above   .  .  . .  540 


The  sample  submitted,  as  representing  the  material  from  300 
to  1,010  feet,  is  limestone,  apparently  of  the  Vicksburg  formation. 


This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 


FormL-9-15m-ll,'27 


224: 

P6S4 


oe.  Liar  as    - 
fir  ten  Inn  iva 


supply  of   eastern 
and   southern  Fieri- 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACI 


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TJNIVERSITY  of  CAI^ORNU 

AT 

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LIBRARY 


